Summary
Clioquinol has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema). ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1 registered trial linking Clioquinol to Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema): 1 has completed. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT01429701). It plans or enrolled 76 participants. Registered activity dates to 2012. No published literature item is linked to Clioquinol and Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) in the OSMF database yet, so the record rests on registry entries alone. Registry entries describe intent to study, not outcomes.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Atopic Eczema ranks 294 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: 60-70% of childhood-onset AD achieves spontaneous remission by adolescence; adult-onset AD is more persistent; moderate-severe adult AD: <15% spontaneous clearance at 5 years.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 24.5 (trials 4.5, literature 0.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 1 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 1 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 0 |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | AHR |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT01429701 | Effectiveness of Polymyxin B Sulphate + Prednisolone + Benzocaine + Clioquinol in Acute and Sub-acute Dermatitis Eczematous 2012 | completed | Phase 3 | 76 |
Published literature
No publication is linked to this pair yet.
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target AHR. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clioquinol approved for Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)?
Clioquinol has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema). Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Clioquinol in clinical trials for Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1 registered trial linking Clioquinol to Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema): 1 has completed. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT01429701). It plans or enrolled 76 participants. Registered activity dates to 2012.
What does the evidence show for Clioquinol in Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)?
Clioquinol has 1 completed registered trial for Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) but no linked publication, which usually means results are unpublished, pending, or not yet matched to this record. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target AHR. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.