Exton, PA, Nov. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Despite an expanding treatment landscape for Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), dermatologists continue to identify substantial unmet needs, particularly in addressing structural disease damage and achieving sustained disease control. According to Spherix Global Insights' Market Dynamix™: Hidradenitis Suppurativa (US) 2026, 83% and 57% of dermatologists report extremely high unmet need among severe and moderate patients, respectively. Additionally, 85% of dermatologists report extremely high unmet need for treatments addressing scarring. Tunneling, sustained efficacy, and rapid response were also identified as key treatment gaps.
Although perceptions of unmet need have moderated somewhat since 2025, significant opportunities remain across disease severities and patient types. Patients with moderate-to-severe HS, poor quality of life, and obesity represent higher unmet needs and volume. Those seeking oral advanced systemic options demonstrate disproportionately high unmet need relative to their patient volume.
Bimzelx Holds a Satisfaction Lead as Adult HS Prescribing Patterns Shift
The HS treatment landscape continues to evolve as newer biologics gain ground. Among adult patients receiving advanced systemic therapy, the physician-reported share of UCB's Bimzelx (bimekizumab) increased from 20% in 2025 to 25% in 2026, while AbbVie's Humira (adalimumab) declined from 33% to 23% and adalimumab biosimilars continued gaining ground. While Novartis' Cosentyx (secukinumab) leadership position is being threatened by Bimzelx, Cosentyx maintained a relatively stable position. These prescribing shifts are consistent with broader market feedback Spherix has received which reinforces a clear directional trend toward greater Bimzelx use, declining Humira share, and relatively stable Cosentyx utilization.
Bimzelx continues to lead on overall satisfaction, while satisfaction with Cosentyx, Humira, and adalimumab biosimilars is notably lower and has softened since 2025. Persistent efficacy gaps, along with reimbursement challenges and out-of-pocket costs, continue to influence treatment selection and limit broader utilization.
These findings suggest that even as newer biologics reshape prescribing patterns, meaningful opportunities remain for treatments capable of delivering more consistent and durable disease control.
Growing Pipeline Awareness Highlights Opportunities for Differentiated HS Therapies
As dermatologists look beyond currently available treatments, interest in emerging HS therapies continues to expand. Unaided pipeline awareness increased from 60% in 2025 to 71% in 2026, reflecting heightened physician attention to emerging HS treatments and pipeline developments.
Among pipeline mechanisms, IL-17A/F inhibition generates particularly strong interest, while oral JAK inhibitors also remain relevant options. However, physician enthusiasm for new treatments is tempered by expectations for sustained efficacy, long-term safety, and meaningful differentiation from established biologics.
The study covers 19 pipeline assets in development, including 8 later stage agents (povorcitinib, Incyte; sonelokimab, MoonLake; Rinvoq (upadacitinib), AbbVie; lutikizumab, AbbVie; Opzelura (ruxolitinib), Incyte; Rhapsido (remibrutinib), Novartis; tulisokibart, Merck; and, abdakibart, Avalo). Furthermore, detailed evaluations of emerging therapies, including Incyte's povorcitinib and MoonLake Immunotherapeutics' sonelokimab, reveal notable differences in physician awareness, anticipated prescribing, and perceptions following exposure to clinical product profiles. These findings underscore how efficacy, safety, and administration characteristics may shape the competitive positioning of future HS treatments.
Importantly, 84% of dermatologists indicate greater willingness to use a novel mechanism of action when clinical evidence identifies a specific patient type most likely to benefit, signaling growing interest in more individualized treatment approaches.
As the HS pipeline advances, differentiation based on durable clinical outcomes, favorable safety profiles, and clearly defined patient populations will likely shape future adoption. Spherix Global Insights' latest research provides a detailed assessment of these emerging opportunities, including physician preferences, pipeline asset perceptions, anticipated prescribing behavior, and the evolving competitive landscape.
Findings are drawn from Spherix Global Insights' Market Dynamix™: Hidradenitis Suppurativa (US) 2026, an independent study based on a quantitative survey of 103 U.S. dermatologists conducted September 15-30, 2026, supplemented by eight qualitative physician interviews conducted October 12-16, 2026.
About Market Dynamix™
Market Dynamix™ is an independent, data-driven service focused on understanding the evolving dynamics of specialty markets poised for disruption. Leveraging quantitative and qualitative research, the service evaluates current treatment approaches, unmet needs, and likely impact of pipeline agents over a three-to-five-year horizon.
About Spherix Global Insights
Spherix Global Insights is a leading independent provider of market intelligence and advisory services for specialty pharmaceutical and biotech markets. By combining physician, patient, and payer perspectives into a single integrated view, Spherix helps brand teams, market access stakeholders, and investors understand how a specialty market actually behaves, not how any one stakeholder describes it. The firm operates ten dedicated therapeutic franchises – Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Hematology, Nephrology, Neuroscience, Obesity, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Respiratory and Rheumatology – alongside a fully dedicated Market Access team. Each franchise is led by hyper-focused analysts and researchers who track these specialty areas full-time, drawing on independently curated communities of vetted practicing specialists, KOLs, patients recruited through treating physicians and advocacy partners, and medical and pharmacy directors at commercial and government payers. Spherix delivers quarterly trending, launch tracking, chart audits, KOL synthesis, patient experience research, and payer and market access intelligence that support confident, strategic decision-making across the pharma lifecycle. Trusted by 19 of the top 20 pharmaceutical and biotech organizations, Spherix has been a go-to resource for more than a decade for leading brands, market access stakeholders, industry media outlets, financial analysts, professional organizations, and patient advocacy groups seeking an unbiased, holistic view of specialty markets.
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NOTICE: All company, brand, or product names in this press release are trademarks of their respective holders. The findings and opinions expressed within are based on Spherix Global Insights’ analysis and do not imply a relationship with or endorsement of the companies or brands mentioned in this press release.
Andy Stankus, Dermatology Franchise Head Spherix Global Insights 484-879-4284 andy.stankus@spherixglobalinsights.com
