THE ESSENTIAL
- “The results of this phase 3 trial give hope to patients and families who historically had limited options for treating eosinophilic esophagitis (EO),” said one of the study’s co-authors. , Professor Jonathan Spergel.
- “This study shows that dupilumab is a good treatment option for patients with OE and not only reduces symptoms, but also targets the root cause of the disease.”
- According to Health Insurance, about 3% of adults and 6% of children suffer from food allergies in Europe.
A weekly dose of dupilumab (often marketed as “Dupixent”), a monoclonal antibody, has shown symptom reduction and tissue improvement in young adults and adolescents with eosinophilic esophagitis (EO), according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study analyzed data from two phase 3 clinical trials and involved an international group of researchers, including those at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
What is eosinophilic esophagitis?
OE is a chronic food allergy that affects the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Triggered by certain foods, the disease occurs when eosinophils, a type of white blood cells, build up in the esophagus, causing pain and injury. If left untreated, the connective tissue of the esophagus can become stiff and scarred, leading to narrowing of the esophagus, as well as other complications including food impaction and choking.
Current treatments for EO include dietary elimination diets, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), swallowed topical glucocorticoids, and in some cases dilatation of the esophagus. However, between 30 and 40% of patients may not respond to first-line treatments, and some treatments have unwanted side effects.
Dupilumab reduces symptoms for adults and teens
Dupilumab is approved for the treatment of several type 2 inflammatory diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma and OE, and a phase 2 trial involving adults with active OE showed that a weekly dose of 300 mg of dupilumab reduced symptoms and improved esophageal tissue.
In the phase 3 trial described in the study, researchers evaluated the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in patients 12 years of age and older, with the treatment given once weekly or every other week. The treatment was also compared to a placebo. They found that 300 mg of dupilumab given subcutaneously every week reduced symptoms and improved histological findings (the presence of inflammation), whereas one dose every two weeks improved histological findings but did not improve symptoms.