Huia Eczema Study

About the study
Taking part starts with meeting the research doctor to discuss your health and check eligibility. If eligible and you choose to participate, you’ll have 3 dosing visits (Weeks 0, 2, 4) and scheduled follow‑ups through Week 52. The overall duration of the study from start to finish is about 13 months (about 393 days, including screening, treatment and follow‑up).

Throughout the duration of the study, participants are required not to smoke and limit their alcohol consumption.

At visits, we undertake health checks and procedures, which can include:

• Vital signs and physical examinations
• ECGs (heart tracings)
• Blood tests & urine tests (including routine safety labs)
• Pregnancy tests (for participants of child‑bearing potential)
• Symptom tracking and review of any side effects or health changes
• Electronic diaries (eDiary) for daily itch and sleep ratings
• Standard eczema severity assessments
• Skin swabs for biomarker analysis (selected visits)

You will be given the investigational medication or placebo via IV infusion.  About 75% participants will receive the study drug, and 25% will receive a placebo. A placebo looks like the investigational medicine but contains no active medication. There are three doses given every 2 weeks.

Study Aim
The main purpose is to learn about the study drug and evaluate its safety, tolerability and how the body processes it (pharmacokinetics) in people with eczema. The study also examines eczema severity scores, itch, sleep, and quality‑of‑life measures.

Reason to participate
Your involvement may help advance scientific knowledge and could contribute to developing a future treatment option for eczema - particularly approaches that aim to reduce both inflammation and itch. Other reasons to participate include:

• Health monitoring by highly experienced NZ specialists, doctors and nurses
• Study-related care and medication are provided free of charge
• Eligible participants will be reimbursed for their time and travel expenses

About the investigational medication 
The investigational medication is a biologic - a type of drug made from living cells. It’s designed as a “double blocker” that targets two pathways central to eczema:

• IL‑13 (a key driver of skin inflammation)
• IL‑31 receptor (IL‑31Rα) (a major itch pathway)

By blocking both at once, the aim is to reduce skin inflammation and itching - the two main symptoms of eczema.

** All PCRN studies undergo rigorous review processes and are approved by ethics committees and Medsafe.