What is dupixent and how it is used for?
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| What is dupixent and how it is used for? |
What is dupixent and how it is used for?
What is dupixent and how it is used for? Dupixent is a medication used to treat patients 12 years of age and older who have moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (also known as atopic eczema, which causes itchy, red, and dry skin) when topical treatments are ineffective.Patients aged 6 to 12 years may also be given the drug if their condition is severe.
Dupixent may be added to the treatment of severe asthma in patients 6 years of age or older whose asthma is not controlled with adequate combination therapy (high-dose corticosteroids in those older than 12 years, younger (in moderate to high doses, other than an asthma inhaler).Dupixent is only for use in patients who have a type of inflammation of the airways called “type 2 inflammation.”
Dupixent may also be added to topical treatment with corticosteroids for adults with inflammation of the nose and sinuses as well as growths (polyps) obstructing the nasal airways (chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis).When other therapies are ineffective, this one is used.
Dupixent is available as a pre-filled pen or syringe containing dupilumab in solution for injection under the skin, usually in the thigh or abdomen. Higher doses are given in two separate injections. The dosage depends on the age and weight of the patient and the condition of the treatment.
Uses of dupixent
Dupixent can only be obtained with a prescription, and treatment should be initiated by a doctor experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of the conditions that Dupixent is used to treat. Patients or their carers can self-inject the medicine if their doctor or nurse thinks it is appropriate and once they have been trained to do so. The drug is intended for long-term use, and the need to continue the drug should be evaluated by a doctor at least annually.
Patients with atopic dermatitis, some types of asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis produce high levels of proteins called interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, which cause inflammation of the skin and airways, leading to the symptoms of these diseases. are made The active substance in Dupixent, dupilumab, is a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein) designed to block the receptors (targets) for IL-4 and IL-13. Dupilumab reduces disease symptoms by inhibiting the receptors, which stops IL-4 and IL-13 from doing their jobs.
- Atopic dermatitis
Dupixent was more effective than placebo (a dummy treatment) in reducing the extent and severity of atopic dermatitis in 3 pivotal studies in adults with moderate to severe disease. In the first study, which involved 740 patients, participants were given Dupixent or a placebo, both in combination with a topical corticosteroid (an anti-inflammatory medicine applied to the skin). The other two studies used dupixent or a placebo on their own, involving a total of 1,379 patients.
- Asthma
Dupixent was shown to reduce the number of asthma exacerbations (exacerbations) during treatment in 2 main studies involving asthma patients receiving high doses of inhaled corticosteroids and a combination of other medications. was not adequately controlled. In the first study, which included 1,902 patients 12 years of age or older, the annual number of severe flares was 0.46 in patients receiving 200 mg dupixent and 0.52 in patients receiving 300 mg dupixent, compared with The rate was 0.87 or 0.97 in patients with After 12 weeks of treatment with a placebo, Dupixent reduced patients’ FEV1 (the maximum volume of air a person can breathe in in one second) to 320 ml (for 200 mg of Dupixent) or 340 ml (for 300 mg of Dupixent), compared with 180 ml and 210 ml for placebo.
Common Side effects
The most common side effects with Dupixent are injection site reactions (such as redness, swelling, including fluid retention, itching, and pain), conjunctivitis (eye redness and pain), including allergic conjunctivitis, joint pain, colds, and increased levels of a type of white blood cell called eosinophils, all of which may affect up to 1 in 10 people. There have been rare cases of reactions such as serum sickness (allergy to proteins in the drug), anaphylaxis (a sudden, severe allergic reaction), and ulcerative keratitis (inflammation and damage to the clear layer of the front).
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