Robert Bissonnette, MD, is the chairman at Innovaderm Research.

Robert Bissonnette, MD

A group of 9 experts reflect on what they are looking forward to most in 2025 following the AAD annual meeting. 

Expert Perspectives: Dermatology's Top Story to Watch in 2025

Although nearly all medical professionals can point to a “flagship” meeting or annual conference for their specialty, few serve the same role as or measure up to what the 

American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting

A testament to the draw and magnitude of the AAD’s annual showcase, the 2025 annual meeting, which was held in Orlando, Florida, from March 07-11, 2025, had more than 20,000 registered attendees. In addition to being the field’s largest meeting, one of the unique aspects of the AAD annual meeting is its placement on the calendar. While many organizations opt for end of year or mid-year meetings, the AAD annual meeting typically occurs in Q1 and, for many, sets the tone for the remainder of the year.

With this in mind, the editorial team of HCPLive Dermatology included a simple question on the end of our interviews from the meeting with 9 leading subject matter experts in dermatology: “What is going to be the most important storyline to watch for dermatology for the rest of 2025?”

In the above video, we highlight the perspectives of these experts. Below, you can find a brief summary of the backgrounds and expertise of each individual included in this feature video.

, is a professor and vice chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Perelman School of Medicine. She also serves as president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

, is chairman at Innovaderm Research. He is also the principal investigator of the ICONIC-LEAD trial, which was presented at AAD 2025.

, is a dermatologist and internal medicine specialist with Riverchase Dermatology.

, is an associate professor of Dermatology for the USC Keck School of Medicine. She is the founding director of the USC Skin of Color and Pigmentary Disorders Program and also the president of the Skin of Color Society.

, is the owner of Medical Dermatology Specialists, chief of inpatient dermatology at BannerHealth, and the founder of US Dermatology Partners.

, is a dermatologist and the medical director at the SKiN Centre for Dermatology.

, is an associate professor in dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine.

, is the director of the Advanced Acne Therapeutics Clinic at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the co-chair of the American Academy of Dermatology Acne Guidelines Work Group.

, is vice chair of research in dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and director of the Mark Lebwohl Center for Neuroinflammation and Sensation.

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suggest icotrokinra could soon play a major role in dermatology’s armamentarium for the management of 

2025 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting

, results of the phase 3 study demonstrate the benefit of icotrokinra among adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

“These study results are promising, showing the potential for icotrokinra to offer patients the unique combination of complete skin clearance and a favorable safety profile in a once-daily pill,” said principal investigator Robert Bissonnette, MD, chairman at Innovaderm Research, Montreal, Canada, who presented the ICNONIC-LEAD data at AAD 2025.

The ICONIC-LEAD trial, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, enrolled 684 participants aged 12 years and older at 170 sites globally. Participants were randomized 2:1 to icotrokinra or placebo, with the study primarily assessing IGA scores and PASI 90 responses.

Results of the placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial indicated 65% of patients treated with icotrokinra achieved an Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score of 0 or 1 at 16 weeks, compared to 8% of the placebo group (

 <.001). Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 response rates were 50% for icotrokinra versus 4% for placebo (

 <.001). By week 24, 74% reached an IGA score of 0 or 1, and 65% achieved PASI 90, with 46% achieving complete skin clearance (IGA 0) and 40% reaching PASI 100. Safety data revealed adverse events occurred in 49% of both the icotrokinra and placebo groups, with no new safety concerns.

Buoyed by these results and positive topline data from the ICONIC-ADVANCE 1 and 2 studies demonstrating superiority over deucravacitinib, Johnson and Johnson announced plans for the ICONIC-ASCEND trial on March 08, 2025. This upcoming study aims to be the first head-to-head trial comparing an oral therapy against an injectable biologic in moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

For more on the trial, potential of icotrokinra in plaque psoriasis, and what questions related to its use remain unanswered, check out our interview with Bissonnette from the conference floor.

Robert Bissonnette, MD, on Icotronika data from AAD 2025

Relevant disclosures for Bissonnette include Abbvie, Admiral, Alumis, Amgen, Bausch, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boston Scientific, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Incyte, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Leo Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Novartis, and others.

cotrokinra, a Targeted Oral Peptide That Selectively Blocks the Interleukin-23–Receptor, for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis

. Presented at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology (ADA) Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL. March 07-11, 2025.

Johnson and Johnson. ICOTROKINRA results show potential to set a new standard of treatment in plaque psoriasis. JNJ.com. March 8, 2025. Accessed March 8, 2025. 

https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases/icotrokinra-results-show-potential-to-set-a-new-standard-of-treatment-in-plaque-psoriasis

Robert Bissonnette, MD, discusses data from the ICONIC-LEAD trial and the potential role of icotrokinra in plaque psoriasis.

Robert Bissonnette, MD

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