Summary
Dexamethasone has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM). No registered clinical trial in this database tests Dexamethasone specifically in Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM). The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study. The literature layer holds 2 publications for this pair: 1 meta-analysis and 1 clinical trial publication. Publication years run from 1996 to 2012. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Dermatomyositis ranks 50 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: Spontaneous remission in ~10-15% over 2 years without treatment; IBM (inclusion body myositis) is slowly progressive with no effective treatment; death from interstitial lung disease in dermatomyositis in 5-10%.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 26.0 (trials 0.0, literature 6.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 0 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 2 (1 meta-analysis, 1 clinical trial publication) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | CD86 |
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trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5).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
No registered trial links Dexamethasone to Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM) in the current OSMF trial extract.
Published literature
- Meta-analysis Immunosuppressant and immunomodulatory treatment for dermatomyositis and polymyositisGordon PA, Winer JB, Hoogendijk JE et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012 · PMID 22895935
- Clinical trial publication Juvenile dermatomyositisSeth V, Kabra SK, Semwal OP et al. · Indian journal of pediatrics · 1996 · PMID 10830014
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 CD86. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dexamethasone approved for Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM)?
Dexamethasone has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM). Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Dexamethasone in clinical trials for Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM)?
No registered clinical trial in this database tests Dexamethasone specifically in Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM). The evidence below comes from published literature only, so any clinical signal has not yet been tested prospectively against this condition in a registered study.
What does the evidence show for Dexamethasone in Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM)?
Synthesis-level literature links Dexamethasone to Inflammatory Myopathies (Dermatomyositis / PM / IBM), but no registered trial in this database tests the pair, so the evidence is observational, pooled from other indications, or pre-dates registry practice. 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 CD86. 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 2026-07-06. Page built 2026-10-07.