Vitiligo Biomarker CXCL10 Correlates With Clinical Response to Ruxolitinib Cream in the Phase 2 Randomized TRuE-V Mechanism-of-Action Study
Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2026
Passeron T., Lebwohl M., Lynde C., Alam M., Laquer V., Beecker J., Ganesan A., Timmers C., Volkova A., Soltanalizadeh B., Kornacki D., Smith S.
| Disease area | Application area | Sample type | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
Immunological & Inflammatory Diseases Dermatological Diseases | Pathophysiology | Serum |  Olink Explore 3072/384 |
Abstract
Trial Design
This phase 2, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trial investigated the mechanism of action of ruxolitinib cream in vitiligo.
Methods
Adults with vitiligo were randomized 2:1 to twice-daily 1.5% ruxolitinib cream (n=41) or vehicle (n=19) for 24 weeks, after which they applied twice-daily ruxolitinib cream through Week 52.
Results
Analyses showed significant downregulation of serum proteins related to interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), including IFN-γ–inducible C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) at all post–ruxolitinib cream time points (P<0.05; fold change >1.25). In sera and lesional skin, CXCL10 expression was significantly reduced from baseline at Weeks 12 through 40 (P<0.05). Among patients applying ruxolitinib cream, mean percentage reductions from baseline were significant at Weeks 12 and 24 for facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (F-VASI: –32.9%; P<0.01/–49.1%; P<0.001) and Week 24 for total VASI (T-VASI; –21.2%; P<0.05). Reduced CXCL10 expression in sera and lesional skin significantly correlated with T-VASI improvement (P<0.05/P<0.001). Additionally, following 24 weeks of ruxolitinib cream treatment, increases in SOX10+ melanocyte counts significantly correlated with F-VASI improvements (P<0.05).ConclusionsThese data confirm a role for the IFN-γ–CXCL10 axis in vitiligo pathogenesis and suggest that reductions in CXCL10 expression correlate with clinical repigmentation with ruxolitinib cream.