The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the approval of Dupixent (dupilumab) to include adolescents aged 12 to 17 years with inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), marking the first treatment option available for this age group. This approval addresses a significant gap in the management of this chronic inflammatory disease affecting the upper airway.
Dupixent's approval was initially granted for adults with CRSwNP in June 2019. The recent expansion is supported by data from two pivotal trials conducted in adults, SINUS-24 and SINUS-52. These trials demonstrated significant improvements in key indicators such as nasal congestion, polyp size, and sense of smell over a 24-week period compared to placebo. The FDA also considered pharmacokinetic data from both adult and adolescent patients with moderate-to-severe asthma, as well as safety data from adolescent asthma studies, to support the approval in the younger population.
Regeneron board co-chair, president, and chief scientific officer George Yancopoulos, stated, "We are pleased to bring the well-established efficacy and safety of Dupixent to the many children suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, which can make their breathing more laborious and difficult, and also deprive them of their sense of smell."
Mechanism of Action and Global Impact
Dupixent, developed using Regeneron’s VelocImmune technology, is a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 pathways. By blocking these key inflammatory mediators, Dupixent helps to reduce inflammation and alleviate the symptoms associated with CRSwNP. It is important to note that Dupixent is not an immunosuppressant.
The impact of Dupixent extends globally, with approvals in more than 60 countries for a range of conditions including atopic dermatitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic spontaneous urticaria, CRSwNP, eosinophilic esophagitis, and prurigo nodularis. More than one million patients worldwide are currently being treated with Dupixent across these various type 2 inflammation-related diseases.
CRSwNP: A Chronic Inflammatory Disease
CRSwNP is characterized as a chronic inflammatory disease of the upper airway, often leading to significant breathing difficulties and a diminished sense of smell. The availability of Dupixent offers a new therapeutic avenue for adolescents struggling with this condition, potentially improving their quality of life and reducing the burden of the disease.
