Monoclonal Antibody Reduces Type 2 Inflammation in Pediatric Patients With AD

Treatment with dupilumab significantly reduced systemic type 2 inflammation in pediatric patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), according to findings published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

“Dupilumab was previously shown to reduce thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) and total IgE levels in multiple type 2 inflammatory diseases, including atopic dermatitis,” study authors said. “Here, we assess the effects of dupilumab treatment on these biomarkers of type 2 inflammation in children.”

The phase 3, double-blind trial involved patients aged at least 6 months but younger than 6 years. Participants had moderate to severe AD not adequately controlled with topical treatments.

Patients were randomized to receive placebo (n=79) or subcutaneous dupilumab (n=83), both in combination with standardized low-potency topical corticosteroids. Dupilumab was administered at a dosage of 200 mg if patients’ baseline body weight was at least 5 kg but less than 15 kg, or 300 mg if their weight was at least 15 kg but less than 30 kg. Patients in both groups received injections every 4 weeks for 16 weeks.

At baseline, median TARC and total IgE levels were 3295 pg/mL and 2190 kU/L for the dupilumab group, and 3190 pg/mL and 3240 kU/L for the placebo group, respectively. At 16 weeks, analysis showed a greater reduction in TARC (median -83.1% vs -12.8%) and total IgE (median -71.2% vs -28.1%) levels for patients receiving dupilumab as compared to placebo (both P < 0.0001).

“Similar reductions were observed in dupilumab- vs placebo-treated patients for all tested serum allergen-specific IgEs (peanut, egg white, soybean, Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus),” investigators said.

Dupilumab significantly reduced biomarkers indicative of type 2 inflammation in this pediatric patient population, researchers concluded.

Reference:
Paller A, Guttman-Yassky E, Boguniewicz M, Sun Y, Wolfe K, Dillon M. Dupilumab reduces biomarkers indicative of type 2 inflammation in children aged ≥ 6 months to < 6 years with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol. 2022;142(8):suppl S51. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2022.05.305