Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody sold under the trade name Dupixent, is a drug approved by the FDA for treating atopic dermatitis (eczema), asthma, and Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), and other allergic conditions. Over 1 million patients are currently receiving dupilumab treatment, which is administered via subcutaneous injection every 2 or 4 weeks.
A study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and presented at this year’s American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) meeting found that the drug reduced specific IgE levels to foods at 12 and 24 months.
The study recruited 13 adults with food allergies who were prescribed dupilumab at Deaconess Clinic Allergy in Evansville, IN. Each participant had at least two measured IgE levels before initiating the therapy and at least one measurement taken more than two months after beginning treatment. Among the patients, 77 allergens were analyzed. Investigators assessed IgE level changes over time, with follow-up measurements extending up to 84 months after dupilumab initiation.
They found that IgE levels decreased by 56.9% at 12 months and 73.5% at 24 months, with patients who successfully passed oral food challenges exhibiting a reduction of 69.4% at 12 months and 81.8% at 24 months.
The researchers concluded that “Dupilumab was associated with reduction of specific IgE to foods at 12 and 24 months as well as passed food challenge in this retrospective study.”
Given their findings, they said further research is warranted to explore a potential role for the drug in managing IgE-mediated food allergies.
There are currently several such ongoing trials of dupilumab for food allergy.
- Dupilumab Reduces Specific IgE to Foods at 12 and 24 Months in Small Study — Patient Care
- Impact of dupilumab on food-specific IgE levels in food-allergic patients — JACI
- Dupixent(dupilumab) Injection — Sanofi and Regeneron
