Skip to main content

Treatment of AD with Dupilumab

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Clinical Cases in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Dupilumab is a monoclonal antibody that works by inhibiting the activity of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, two cytokines that play an integral role in the T helper 2 (Th2) immune response. It is FDA approved for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, and eosinophilic esophagitis. For AD treatment, it is recommended for patients ≥6 months of age with moderate-to-severe disease who have not responded to conventional topical therapies. Numerous randomized controlled trials have established dupilumab as one of the most efficacious and arguably the safest systemic therapy available for the treatment of AD. The most commonly reported side effects include conjunctivitis, facial erythema, and injection site reactions. Because of its superior efficacy and side effect profile, dupilumab has in recent years become a first-line option among systemic AD treatments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Pagan AD, David E, Ungar B, Ghalili S, He H, Guttman-Yassky E. Dupilumab improves clinical scores in children and adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: a real-world, single-center study. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(9):2378–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Cather J, Young M, DiRuggiero DC, Tofte S, Williams L, Gonzalez T. A review of phase 3 trials of dupilumab for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults, adolescents, and children aged 6 and up. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2022;12(9):2013–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Wenzel S, Ford L, Pearlman D, Spector S, Sher L, Skobieranda F, et al. Dupilumab in persistent asthma with elevated eosinophil levels. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(26):2455–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bachert C, Han JK, Desrosiers M, Hellings PW, Amin N, Lee SE, et al. Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (LIBERTY NP SINUS-24 and LIBERTY NP SINUS-52): results from two multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase 3 trials. Lancet. 2019;394(10209):1638–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Sidbury R, Davis DM, Cohen DE, Cordoro KM, Berger TG, Bergman JN, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis: section 3. Management and treatment with phototherapy and systemic agents. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(2):327–49.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Newsome BW, Ernstoff MS. The clinical pharmacology of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of malignancy; have the magic bullets arrived? Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;66(1):6–19.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Beck LA, Thaçi D, Hamilton JD, Graham NM, Bieber T, Rocklin R, et al. Dupilumab treatment in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(2):130–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Thaçi D, Simpson EL, Beck LA, Bieber T, Blauvelt A, Papp K, et al. Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis inadequately controlled by topical treatments: a randomised, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging phase 2b trial. Lancet. 2016;387(10013):40–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Simpson EL, Bieber T, Guttman-Yassky E, Beck LA, Blauvelt A, Cork MJ, et al. Two phase 3 trials of dupilumab versus placebo in atopic dermatitis. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(24):2335–48.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Alexis AF, Rendon M, Silverberg JI, Pariser DM, Lockshin B, Griffiths CE, et al. Efficacy of dupilumab in different racial subgroups of adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in three randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(8):804–13.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Zhao Y, Wu L, Lu Q, Gao X, Zhu X, Yao X, et al. The efficacy and safety of dupilumab in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Br J Dermatol. 2022;186(4):633–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Simpson EL, Bieber T, Eckert L, Wu R, Ardeleanu M, Graham NM, et al. Patient burden of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD): insights from a phase 2b clinical trial of dupilumab in adults. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016;74(3):491–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. de Bruin-Weller M, Thaçi D, Smith CH, Reich K, Cork MJ, Radin A, et al. Dupilumab with concomitant topical corticosteroid treatment in adults with atopic dermatitis with an inadequate response or intolerance to ciclosporin A or when this treatment is medically inadvisable: a placebo-controlled, randomized phase III clinical trial (LIBERTY AD CAFÉ). Br J Dermatol. 2018;178(5):1083–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Blauvelt A, de Bruin-Weller M, Gooderham M, Cather JC, Weisman J, Pariser D, et al. Long-term management of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis with dupilumab and concomitant topical corticosteroids (LIBERTY AD CHRONOS): a 1-year, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2017;389(10086):2287–303.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Worm M, Simpson EL, Thaçi D, Bissonnette R, Lacour JP, Beissert S, et al. Efficacy and safety of multiple dupilumab dose regimens after initial successful treatment in patients with atopic dermatitis: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2020;156(2):131–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Simpson EL, Gadkari A, Worm M, Soong W, Blauvelt A, Eckert L, et al. Dupilumab therapy provides clinically meaningful improvement in patient-reported outcomes (PROs): a phase IIb, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial in adult patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD). J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016;75(3):506–15.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Tsianakas A, Luger TA, Radin A. Dupilumab treatment improves quality of life in adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: results from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Br J Dermatol. 2018;178(2):406–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lake E. JAAD Game Changers: dupilumab therapy provides clinically meaningful improvement in patient-reported outcomes (PROs): a phase IIb, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial in adult patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD). J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019;80(4):882.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Cork MJ, Eckert L, Simpson EL, Armstrong A, Barbarot S, Puig L, et al. Dupilumab improves patient-reported symptoms of atopic dermatitis, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and health-related quality of life in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: analysis of pooled data from the randomized trials SOLO 1 and SOLO 2. J Dermatol Treat. 2020;31(6):606–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Silverberg JI, Simpson EL, Ardeleanu M, Thaçi D, Barbarot S, Bagel J, et al. Dupilumab provides important clinical benefits to patients with atopic dermatitis who do not achieve clear or almost clear skin according to the Investigator’s Global Assessment: a pooled analysis of data from two phase III trials. Br J Dermatol. 2019;181(1):80–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Silverberg JI, Yosipovitch G, Simpson EL, Kim BS, Wu JJ, Eckert L, et al. Dupilumab treatment results in early and sustained improvements in itch in adolescents and adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: analysis of the randomized phase 3 studies SOLO 1 and SOLO 2, AD ADOL, and CHRONOS. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;82(6):1328–36.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Simpson EL, Paller AS, Siegfried EC, Boguniewicz M, Sher L, Gooderham MJ, et al. Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in adolescents with uncontrolled moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: a phase 3 randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2020;156(1):44–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Paller AS, Siegfried EC, Thaçi D, Wollenberg A, Cork MJ, Arkwright PD, et al. Efficacy and safety of dupilumab with concomitant topical corticosteroids in children 6–11 years old with severe atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;83(5):1282–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Paller AS, Bansal A, Simpson EL, Boguniewicz M, Blauvelt A, Siegfried EC, et al. Clinically meaningful responses to dupilumab in adolescents with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: post-hoc analyses from a randomized clinical trial. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2020;21(1):119–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Cork MJ, Thaçi D, Eichenfield LF, Arkwright PD, Sun X, Chen Z, et al. Dupilumab provides favourable long-term safety and efficacy in children aged ≥6 to <12 years with uncontrolled severe atopic dermatitis: results from an open-label phase IIa study and subsequent phase III open-label extension study. Br J Dermatol. 2021;184(5):857–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Paller AS, Siegfried EC, Simpson EL, Cork MJ, Lockshin B, Kosloski MP, et al. A phase 2, open-label study of single-dose dupilumab in children aged 6 months to <6 years with severe uncontrolled atopic dermatitis: pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021;35(2):464–75.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Bieber T, Simpson EL, Silverberg JI, Thaçi D, Paul C, Pink AE, et al. Abrocitinib versus placebo or dupilumab for atopic dermatitis. N Engl J Med. 2021;384(12):1101–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Reich K, Thyssen JP, Blauvelt A, Eyerich K, Soong W, Rice ZP, et al. Efficacy and safety of abrocitinib versus dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2022;400(10348):273–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Eichenfield LF, Flohr C, Sidbury R, Siegfried E, Szalai Z, Galus R, et al. Efficacy and safety of abrocitinib in combination with topical therapy in adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: the JADE TEEN randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2021;157(10):1165–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Blauvelt A, Teixeira HD, Simpson EL, Costanzo A, De Bruin-Weller M, Barbarot S, et al. Efficacy and safety of upadacitinib vs dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2021;157(9):1047–55.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Snast I, Reiter O, Hodak E, Friedland R, Mimouni D, Leshem YA. Are biologics efficacious in atopic dermatitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2018;19(2):145–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Drucker AM, Ellis AG, Bohdanowicz M, Mashayekhi S, Yiu ZZN, Rochwerg B, et al. Systemic immunomodulatory treatments for patients with atopic dermatitis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. JAMA Dermatol. 2020;156(6):659–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Silverberg JI, Thyssen JP, Fahrbach K, Mickle K, Cappelleri JC, Romero W, et al. Comparative efficacy and safety of systemic therapies used in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a systematic literature review and network meta-analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021;35(9):1797–810.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Siegels D, Heratizadeh A, Abraham S, Binnmyr J, Brockow K, Irvine AD, et al. Systemic treatments in the management of atopic dermatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Allergy. 2021;76(4):1053–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Drucker AM, Morra DE, Prieto-Merino D, Ellis AG, Yiu ZZN, Rochwerg B, et al. Systemic immunomodulatory treatments for atopic dermatitis: update of a living systematic review and network meta-analysis. JAMA Dermatol. 2022;158(5):523–32.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Tan XL, Thomas BR, Tan YJ, O'Toole EA. Effects of systemic therapies on pruritus in adults with atopic dermatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2022;47(4):658–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Ou Z, Chen C, Chen A, Yang Y, Zhou W. Adverse events of dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a meta-analysis. Int Immunopharmacol. 2018;54:303–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Halling AS, Loft N, Silverberg JI, Guttman-Yassky E, Thyssen JP. Real-world evidence of dupilumab efficacy and risk of adverse events: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021;84(1):139–47.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Narla S, Silverberg JI, Simpson EL. Management of inadequate response and adverse effects to dupilumab in atopic dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2022;86(3):628–36.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Chen X, Liu M, Wu S, Huang Z, Li X, Lai X, et al. Treatment-emergent adverse events in dupilumab-treated patients with allergic diseases: a meta-analysis. Allergy. 2021;76(2):593–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Han Y, Chen Y, Liu X, Zhang J, Su H, Wen H, et al. Efficacy and safety of dupilumab for the treatment of adult atopic dermatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017;140(3):888–891.e6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Fleming P, Drucker AM. Risk of infection in patients with atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018;78(1):62–69.e1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Paller AS, Beck LA, Blauvelt A, Siegfried EC, Cork MJ, Wollenberg A, et al. Infections in children and adolescents treated with dupilumab in pediatric clinical trials for atopic dermatitis—a pooled analysis of trial data. Pediatr Dermatol. 2022;39(2):187–96.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Wollenberg A, Beck LA, Blauvelt A, Simpson EL, Chen Z, Chen Q, et al. Laboratory safety of dupilumab in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: results from three phase III trials (LIBERTY AD SOLO 1, LIBERTY AD SOLO 2, LIBERTY AD CHRONOS). Br J Dermatol. 2020;182(5):1120–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Siegfried EC, Bieber T, Simpson EL, Paller AS, Beck LA, Boguniewicz M, et al. Effect of dupilumab on laboratory parameters in adolescents with atopic dermatitis: results from a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 clinical trial. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2021;22(2):243–55.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Paller AS, Wollenberg A, Siegfried E, Thaçi D, Cork MJ, Arkwright PD, et al. Laboratory safety of dupilumab in patients aged 6–11 years with severe atopic dermatitis: results from a phase III clinical trial. Paediatr Drugs. 2021;23(5):515–27.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Pfizer Inc. Cibinqo (abrocitinib) [package insert]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/213871s000lbl.pdf. Approved January 2022. Accessed 22 July 2022.

  48. AbbVie, Inc. Rinvoq (upadacitinib) [package insert]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/211675s003lbl.pdf. Revised April 2022. Accessed 22 July 2022.

  49. Wollenberg A, Barbarot S, Bieber T, Christen-Zaech S, Deleuran M, Fink-Wagner A, et al. Consensus-based European guidelines for treatment of atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) in adults and children: part I. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018;32(5):657–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Wollenberg A, Barbarot S, Bieber T, Christen-Zaech S, Deleuran M, Fink-Wagner A, et al. Consensus-based European guidelines for treatment of atopic eczema (atopic dermatitis) in adults and children: part II. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018;32(6):850–78.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Thyssen JP, Berents T, Bradley M, Deleuran M, Grimstad Ø, Korhonen L, et al. Clinical management of atopic dermatitis in adults: mapping of expert opinion in 4 Nordic countries using a modified Delphi process. Acta Derm Venereol. 2020;100(1):adv00015.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Smith S, Baker C, Gebauer K, Rubel D, Frankum B, Soyer HP, et al. Atopic dermatitis in adults: an Australian management consensus. Australas J Dermatol. 2020;61(1):23–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Ghazal S, Ridha Z, D'Aguanno K, Nassim D, Quaiattini A, Netchiporouk E, et al. Treatment guidelines for atopic dermatitis since the approval of dupilumab: a systematic review and quality appraisal using AGREE-II. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022;9:821871.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Boguniewicz M, Beck LA, Sher L, Guttman-Yassky E, Thaçi D, Blauvelt A, et al. Dupilumab improves asthma and sinonasal outcomes in adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(3):1212–1223.e6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Canonica GW, Bourdin A, Peters AT, Desrosiers M, Bachert C, Weidinger S, et al. Dupilumab demonstrates rapid onset of response across three type 2 inflammatory diseases. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(6):1515–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Eichenfield LF, DiBonaventura M, Xenakis J, Lafeuille MH, Duh MS, Fakih I, et al. Costs and treatment patterns among patients with atopic dermatitis using advanced therapies in the United States: analysis of a retrospective claims database. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2020;10(4):791–806.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Zimmermann M, Rind D, Chapman R, Kumar V, Kahn S, Carlson J. Economic evaluation of dupilumab for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a cost-utility analysis. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(7):750–6.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Edwards HA, McMeniman EK. The cost of dupilumab treatment for severe atopic dermatitis is largely offset by broader health-care savings and improvement in quality of life. Australas J Dermatol. 2020;61(2):e273–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Silverberg JI, Rubini NPM, Pires MC, Rossi AB, Zhang A, Chen Z, et al. Dupilumab treatment reduces hospitalizations in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(5):1279–1285.e1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Rossi M, Rovati C, Arisi M, Tomasi C, Calzavara-Pinton I, Venturini M, et al. A short cycle of narrow-band UVB phototherapy in the early phase of dupilumab therapy can provide a quicker improvement of severe atopic dermatitis. Dermatology. 2021;237(3):407–15.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dupixent (dupilumab) [package insert]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/761055s042lbl.pdf. Revised June 2022. Accessed 20 July 2022.

  62. Vestergaard C, Wollenberg A, Thyssen JP. European task force on atopic dermatitis (ETFAD) position paper: treatment of parental atopic dermatitis during preconception, pregnancy and lactation period. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2020;34(2):426–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Collier, M.R., Smith, B., Devjani, S., Engel, P., Wu, J.J. (2024). Treatment of AD with Dupilumab. In: Brownstone, N., Liao, W., Bhutani, T. (eds) Clinical Cases in Atopic Dermatitis. Clinical Cases in Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52147-8_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52147-8_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-52146-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-52147-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics