MedPath

Withdrawal of Dupilumab in Severe Asthma

Phase 4
Not yet recruiting
Conditions
Severe Asthma
Interventions
Drug: Stopping dupilumab
Registration Number
NCT06818019
Lead Sponsor
University Hospital, Toulouse
Brief Summary

Asthma management has been revolutionised by the development of biological therapies. Dupilumab is an anti-interleukin4 receptor marketed in 2020 for severe asthmatic patients with 2 exacerbations or more within the last 12 months. Although data showed that safety and efficacy of dupilumab are sustained when treatment is extended up to 3 years, no study has emerged regarding dupilumab discontinuation. This study aims to demonstrate the non-inferiority regarding strategy failure at 24 months of stopping dupilumab (intervention group) compared with its continuation (control group) in controlled asthma patients receiving this drug for at least 3 years.

Detailed Description

Although dupilumab is a very effective drug in severe asthma, the optimal duration of this drug is unknown. However, this is a crucial question given the high cost of dupilumab and the lack of data regarding the long-term inhibition of type 2 pathway. Studies on biologic discontinuation are scarce in severe asthma. Studies with other biologics have shown that discontinuation of these drugs is feasible particularly for patients with low exacerbation rate before stopping treatment. In a study with pooled asthma biologics, 1247 (25.1%) stopped the biologic among the 4958 biologic users (including 19.8% of dupilumab users). Among all stoppers, 10.2% failed discontinuation of the asthma biologic in the 6 months after stopping, defined as an increase of 50% or more in exacerbations. Among patients who continued the biologic, 9.5% had an increase of 50% or more in exacerbations during a 6-month period, showing a similar failing rate. Such data for dupilumab discontinuation are lacking.

In this study, we plan to include patients with controlled asthma treated with dupilumab for at least 3 years who will be randomised to stopping dupilumab or dupilumab continuation with a follow-up of 24 months.

In total, 5 visits will occur for each patient: the inclusion/randomisation visit (baseline), 3 follow-up visits at month 6, month 12, month 24 as usually done in severe asthma, and a phone call visit at 18 months for exacerbations, treatments and adverse events collection. At each onsite visit, asthma medications, concomitant treatments, nasal polyp score (if applicable), number of exacerbations, Asthma Control Questionnaire, Severe Asthma Questionnaire, Treatment Burden Questionnaire and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 scores, Forced expiratory volume in one second, Forced vital capacity, Fraction exhaled nitric oxide (if available), blood eosinophil, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, adverse events, hospital admissions, and unscheduled medical visits will be recorded.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
205
Inclusion Criteria
  • Adult patients ≥ 18 years old
  • Treated with dupilumab for at least 36 months for severe asthma
  • Well controlled asthma defined by an Asthma Control Questionnaire score ≥ 18 and 0 or 1 exacerbation within the year prior to the inclusion visit
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients who refuse to discontinue dupilumab, for any reason
  • Patients with Forced expiratory volume in one second ≤ 30% of predicted values
  • Patients treated by an oral corticosteroid dose ≥ 10 mg/day (in prednisone equivalent)
  • Patients who have to discontinue dupilumab for a reason other than controlled asthma, such as an adverse drug reaction, a planned or current pregnancy, or a planned switch to another biologic indicated in severe asthma
  • Patients who have to continue dupilumab for the treatment of comorbidities apart from nasal polyposis
  • Active smoking
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Stopping dupilumabStopping dupilumabThe experimental strategy comprises stopping dupilumab with no dose-reducing or interval of time-increasing strategy from the day of inclusion/randomisation
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Strategy failure24 months

Proportion of patients with strategy failure defined as patients with an annualised number of asthma exacerbations ≥ 2 and/or dupilumab resume or switch to another biologic within 24 months following randomisation

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Resumption of dupilumab6, 12 and 24 months

Proportion of patients with resumption of dupilumab in the interventional group (stopping dupilumab) at 6, 12 and 24 months

Adverse events or serious adverse events24 months

Proportion of patients with adverse events or serious adverse events in both groups

Proportion of patients with ≥ 1 exacerbation(s)6, 12 and 24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the proportion of patients with ≥ 1 exacerbation(s) or severe exacerbation(s) at 6, 12 and 24 months. A severe exacerbation is defined as an emergency room visit or hospital admission or death related to asthma exacerbation.

Change in quality of life6, 12 and 24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the change in quality of life at 6, 12 and 24 months compared to baseline.

The change in the severe asthma questionnary quality of life score and the Burden of Treatment Questionnaire score at 6, 12 and 24 months compared to baseline.

The severe asthma questionnary is a health-related quality of life questionnaire validated for use in severe asthma. It is scored using the mean value of 16 items (severe asthma questionnary score) in addition to a single item global rating of health-related quality of life. The Burden of Treatment Questionnaire is a 15-item questionnaire that assesses the treatment burden of chronic diseases.

Change in lung function6, 12 and 24 months

The lung function change is a qualitative clinical criteria of failure/success of the strategy. This failure is made up of 3 components : Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (in L and % predicted, pre- and post-bronchodilator), Forced Vital Capacity (in L and % predicted) and forced exhaled nitric oxide (in ppb) at 6, 12 and 24 months compared to baseline

Change in the daily dose of inhaled corticosteroids6, 12 and 24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the change in the daily dose (μg/day) of inhaled corticosteroids (in beclomethasone equivalent) at 6, 12 and 24 months

Effect on nasal polyposis6, 12 and 24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the change in nasal polyposis endoscopic score (if available) and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 score at 6, 12 and 24 months compared to baseline.

The french version of Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 is a further modification of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20, a fully validated and easy-to-use outcome measure in rhinology. In addition to the normal 20-item version of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test, 2 additional items were measured, nasal blockage, and loss of sense of taste and smell. The 22-question Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 is scored as 0 (no problem) to 5 (problem as bad as it can be) with a total range from 0 to 110 (higher scores indicate poorer outcomes).

Change in asthma control test score6, 12 and 24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the change in asthma control test score at 6, 12 and 24 months compared to baseline. The asthma control test score is a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 5 questions related to the frequency of asthma symptoms and the use of rescue treatments over the past 4 weeks. The score ranges from 5 (poorest control) to 25 (perfect control)

Number of exacerbations24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the number of exacerbations within 24 months

Time to loss of control24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the time between baseline to loss of control defined by a reduction of 5 points or more on asthma test control score

First exacerbation24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the time to first exacerbation

Change in the daily dose of oral corticosteroids6, 12 and 24 months

Comparing the interventional group with the control group regarding the change in the daily dose (mg/day) of oral corticosteroids (in prednisone equivalent) at 6, 12 and 24 months compared to baseline

Trial Locations

Locations (29)

CH de Bayonne

🇫🇷

Bayonne, France

Institut Coeur Poumon, CHU de Lille

🇫🇷

Lille, France

Hôpital Croix Rousse

🇫🇷

Lyon, France

Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou

🇫🇷

Paris, France

CHU de Guadeloupe

🇫🇷

Pointe-à-Pitre, France

CHU de Besançon

🇫🇷

Besançon, France

CH de Cannes

🇫🇷

Cannes, France

CH Le Mans

🇫🇷

Le Mans, France

Hôpital Avicenne

🇫🇷

Paris, France

Hôpital Bichât

🇫🇷

Paris, France

CHU de Nantes

🇫🇷

Saint-Herblain, France

Nouvel Hôpital Civil

🇫🇷

Strasbourg, France

Hôpital Foch

🇫🇷

Suresnes, France

CHU Amiens-Picardie

🇫🇷

Amiens, France

CHU de Clermont-Ferrand

🇫🇷

Clermont-Ferrand, France

Hôpital Kremlin Bicêtre

🇫🇷

Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France

CHU de Reims

🇫🇷

Reims, France

Hôpital Tarbes Lourdes

🇫🇷

Tarbes, France

CHU de Toulouse

🇫🇷

Toulouse, CHU de Toulouse, France

CHU de Caen

🇫🇷

Caen, France

CH Annecy Genevois

🇫🇷

Epagny-Metz-Annecy, France

CHU Grenoble-Alpes

🇫🇷

La Tronche, France

CHU de Bordeaux

🇫🇷

Pessac, France

Hôpital Lyon Sud

🇫🇷

Pierre-Bénite, France

CHR d'Angers

🇫🇷

Angers, France

CHU de Brest

🇫🇷

Brest, France

CHI de Créteil

🇫🇷

Créteil, France

CHU de Dijon

🇫🇷

Dijon, France

CH de Roubaix

🇫🇷

Roubaix, France

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