Connect Biopharma Holdings Limited announced that the first patient has been dosed in a China specific pivotal trial evaluating CBP-201 in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of up to two doses of CBP-201 administered subcutaneously to eligible patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. The trial is expected to enroll approximately 255 patients across 55 clinical sites in China and is divided into an initial treatment period of 16 weeks, a further maintenance period of 36 weeks and a follow-up period of 8 weeks (NCT05017480). Atopic dermatitis, which has an estimated lifetime prevalence of up to 20% and is increasing globally, is the most commonly diagnosed chronic inflammatory skin disorder. It is characterized by skin barrier disruption and immune dysregulation. Estimates of prevalence of AD in China show this increasing over time and recent longitudinal studies have reported a dermatologist diagnosed prevalence of 7.8% in Chinese outpatients visiting tertiary hospitals. In the United States, it is estimated that 26.1 million people have AD, of which 6.6 million have moderate-to-severe disease. Further, over 58% of adults with moderate-to-severe AD have disease which physicians consider to be inadequately controlled by approved therapeutic modalities, including topical anti-inflammatory agents and systemic agents.