Extension study reveals Dupixent’s benefit can last up to three years in moderate-to-severe asthma
pharmafile | September 8, 2020 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Research and Development | Dupixent, Sanofi, asthma, pharma
New findings have been revealed from an extension study of Sanofi’s interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) inhibitor Dupixent (dupilumab) in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe asthma, demonstrating that the therapy’s benefits can be maintained for up to three years.
Around 2,200 participants were enrolled in three initial studies for Dupixent, receiving either the therapy or placebo for between 24 and 52 weeks. Patients were then moved onto an extension study following completion of these studies with either placebo or Dupixent, going on to continue treatment for a further two years.
At 96 weeks, patients receiving Dupixent reported an improvement in lung function of between 13% and 22% compared to baseline in the initial studies, as measured by the average change in forced expiratory volume over one second (FEV1).
The average rate of severe asthma events among participants during the extension study was 0.31-0.35 per year, down from an average of 2.09-2.17 per year in the year prior to the start date of the initial Dupixent trials.
Additionally, patients with elevated baseline blood eosinophils or fractional exhaled nitric oxide showed greater improvements in lung function, and reductions of 23-35% were shown in blood eosinophil levels and of 82% in blood immunoglobulin E levels.
“These data suggest Dupixent may slow the progressive decline in lung function that many patients with moderate-to-severe asthma experience, as shown by the sustained improvement in lung function for up to three years,” explained Dr Michael Wechsler, principal investigator on the studies and Director of the National Jewish Cohen Family Asthma Institute. “Further, patients on Dupixent maintained asthma control and reduced rates of severe asthma attacks that may result in hospitalisations. This reinforces the importance of Dupixent as a continuous, long-term treatment option to improve patients’ ability to breathe and maintain control of their asthma, particularly in those with higher markers of underlying type 2 inflammation.”
The findings are set to be revealed in full at the virtual 2020 European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress. Further long-term efficacy data in patients who are dependent on oral corticosteroids is also due to be presented in future.
Matt Fellows
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