Mei Zhang, Ming He, Ting Tang
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurrent, and disabling inflammatory skin disorder. To our knowledge, this study reports the first use of vunakizumab, a domestically developed anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of HS. We present the case of a 17-year-old boy with a 5-year history of recurrent painful nodules and abscesses on the buttocks who had been repeatedly misdiagnosed with common acute bacterial infections and had responded poorly to conventional antibiotics. After 8 weeks of treatment with vunakizumab, which offered a pharmacoeconomic advantage during the transition period before its inclusion in China's national insurance system, the patient showed marked improvement, with complete resolution of nodules, abscesses, and tunnels and no recurrence or significant adverse events during 10 months of follow-up. This case highlights the potential of vunakizumab in the treatment of HS and supports the pathogenic role of IL-17 in the disease.