Long-Term Dupixent Treatment Shows Promising Results for Severe Atopic Dermatitis

More than one-third of patients with severe atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the skin and skin barrier defects, were in complete remission after taking Dupixent (dupilumab) for five years, according to a new study.

The research, published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment, analyzed data from more than 700 patients receiving Dupixent. Led by Francesca Barei, M.D., of Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, Italy, is only the second to look at real world results for patients on the therapy for five years or longer. The study found that 60 months of treatment, 38% of patients achieved complete remission, while 91% experienced at least a 90% improvement in their eczema scores. Additionally, 83% of patients reported either no itch or only mild itching.

“This investigation establishes dupilumab’s enduring efficacy and safety in severe AD, emphasizing its potential as a sustained therapeutic option over 5+ years,” the study authors wrote.

The researchers also looked at factors that might predict why some patients stop treatment, finding people with a specific type of the condition, called nummular eczema, characterized by round, coin-shaped patches of inflamed skin had a higher risk of developing psoriasis while on Dupixent, leading them to discontinue taking the medicine. The study authors wrote this was the first research paper to report the correlation.

While the occurrence of Dupixent-associated psoriasis is a known adverse event, this finding suggests that patients with certain atopic dermatitis phenotypes may require closer monitoring during treatment.

Dupixent is a monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-4 (IL-4), which has a cascading effect on the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Other systematic therapies for AD include Ebglyss (lebrikizumab), Cibinqo (abrocitinib) and Rinvoq (upadacitinib).