Catalyzing Future Drug, Device, and Information Technology Breakthroughs in Dermatology

Abstract

The future of dermatology depends on the continued development of breakthrough technologies that improve patient care. From aesthetics to medical dermatology, the field has seen an acceleration of progress driven by new therapeutics, diagnostics, and health information technologies. The successful management of psoriasis with biologics has augmented our ability to achieve skin clearance in millions. Dermatology stands at the forefront of immunotherapy and gene therapy with demonstration of the feasibility of using chimeric antigen receptor T cells for pemphigus vulgaris 1 and promising phase 1 trial results for a genetically corrected autologous epidermal graft in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. 2 Prior to the advent of immunotherapy, metastatic melanoma was largely considered a death sentence. With the approval of ipilimumab (2011), pembrolizumab (2014), and nivolumab (2014), patients with advanced melanoma are living longer, with some having durable responses. In aesthetics, dermatologist-led innovation has driven growth in noninvasive procedures (eg, cryolipolysis, fractional ablative resurfacing) that have improved patient quality of life. 3 In addition, the first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved systemic therapy for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis rightfully deserves its FDA breakthrough therapeutic designation. Finally, dermatology is leading the telemedicine revolution by providing an opportunity for patients to obtain greater access with lower costs to specialty care.Despite these promising trends, the field must continue to cultivate early-career individuals and earlystage technologies. The field is united in this effort, with the Society for Investigative Dermatology and the European Society for Dermatological Research echoing the need to support product innovation in dermatology. 4 Advancing Innovation in Dermatology (AID), a nonprofit organization, and its partners are implementing new training mechanisms to support innovation education for clinicians, physician-scientists, engineers, and scientists working in dermatology. 5 The Magic Wand Initiative (Massachusetts General Hospital) demonstrates the opportunity when clinical dermatologists partner with scientists and engineers to drive forward innovative solutions for unmet clinical needs. 6 Inspired by this, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and AID launched the Virtual Magic Wand program in 2017 funding 7 clinical scholars, so that they direct their clinical observations of unmet needs toward a potential product innovation. Although traditional and experiential