Questions About DUPIXENT?
Below are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about DUPIXENT.
Below are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about DUPIXENT.
Atopic Dermatitis: DUPIXENT is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 6 months and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. DUPIXENT can be used with or without topical corticosteroids.
Asthma: DUPIXENT is indicated as an add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 6 years and older with moderate-to-severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid dependent asthma. Limitations of Use: DUPIXENT is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus.
Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps: DUPIXENT is indicated as an add-on maintenance treatment in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: DUPIXENT is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 1 year and older, weighing at least 15 kg, with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
Prurigo Nodularis: DUPIXENT is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with prurigo nodularis (PN).
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: DUPIXENT is indicated as an add-on maintenance treatment of adult patients with inadequately controlled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and an eosinophilic phenotype. Limitations of Use: DUPIXENT is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm.
CONTRAINDICATION: DUPIXENT is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to dupilumab or any of its excipients.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONSHypersensitivity: Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, serum sickness or serum sickness-like reactions, angioedema, generalized urticaria, rash, erythema nodosum, and erythema multiforme have been reported. If a clinically significant hypersensitivity reaction occurs, institute appropriate therapy and discontinue DUPIXENT.
Conjunctivitis and Keratitis: Conjunctivitis and keratitis occurred more frequently in AD subjects who received DUPIXENT versus placebo, with conjunctivitis being the most frequently reported eye disorder. Conjunctivitis also occurred more frequently in adult CRSwNP subjects, PN subjects, and COPD subjects who received DUPIXENT compared to those who received placebo. Conjunctivitis and keratitis have been reported with DUPIXENT in postmarketing settings, predominantly in AD patients. Some patients reported visual disturbances (e.g., blurred vision) associated with conjunctivitis or keratitis. Advise patients or their caregivers to report new onset or worsening eye symptoms to their healthcare provider. Consider ophthalmological examination for patients who develop conjunctivitis that does not resolve following standard treatment or signs and symptoms suggestive of keratitis, as appropriate.
Eosinophilic Conditions: Patients being treated for asthma may present with serious systemic eosinophilia sometimes presenting with clinical features of eosinophilic pneumonia or vasculitis consistent with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), conditions which are often treated with systemic corticosteroid therapy. These events may be associated with the reduction of oral corticosteroid therapy. Healthcare providers should be alert to vasculitic rash, worsening pulmonary symptoms, cardiac complications, and/or neuropathy presenting in their patients with eosinophilia. Cases of eosinophilic pneumonia were reported in adult subjects who participated in the asthma development program and cases of vasculitis consistent with EGPA have been reported with DUPIXENT in adult subjects who participated in the asthma development program as well as in adult subjects with co-morbid asthma in the CRSwNP development program. A causal association between DUPIXENT and these conditions has not been established.
Acute Symptoms of Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Acute Deteriorating Disease: Do not use DUPIXENT to treat acute symptoms or acute exacerbations of asthma or COPD, acute bronchospasm, or status asthmaticus. Patients should seek medical advice if their asthma or COPD remains uncontrolled or worsens after initiation of DUPIXENT.
Risk Associated with Abrupt Reduction of Corticosteroid Dosage: Do not discontinue systemic, topical, or inhaled corticosteroids abruptly upon initiation of DUPIXENT. Reductions in corticosteroid dose, if appropriate, should be gradual and performed under the direct supervision of a healthcare provider. Reduction in corticosteroid dose may be associated with systemic withdrawal symptoms and/or unmask conditions previously suppressed by systemic corticosteroid therapy.
Patients with Co-morbid Asthma: Advise patients with co-morbid asthma not to adjust or stop their asthma treatments without consultation with their physicians.
Arthralgia: Arthralgia has been reported with the use of DUPIXENT with some patients reporting gait disturbances or decreased mobility associated with joint symptoms; some cases resulted in hospitalization. Advise patients to report new onset or worsening joint symptoms. If symptoms persist or worsen, consider rheumatological evaluation and/or discontinuation of DUPIXENT.
Parasitic (Helminth) Infections: It is unknown if DUPIXENT will influence the immune response against helminth infections. Treat patients with pre-existing helminth infections before initiating therapy with DUPIXENT. If patients become infected while receiving treatment with DUPIXENT and do not respond to anti-helminth treatment, discontinue treatment with DUPIXENT until the infection resolves. Helminth infections (5 cases of enterobiasis and 1 case of ascariasis) were reported in pediatric patients 6 to 11 years old in the pediatric asthma development program.
Vaccinations: Consider completing all age-appropriate vaccinations as recommended by current immunization guidelines prior to initiating DUPIXENT. Avoid use of live vaccines during treatment with DUPIXENT.
ADVERSE REACTIONS:Most common adverse reactions are:
Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information
Atopic Dermatitis: DUPIXENT is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 6 months and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. DUPIXENT can be used with or without topical corticosteroids.
Asthma: DUPIXENT is indicated as an add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 6 years and older with moderate-to-severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid dependent asthma. Limitations of Use: DUPIXENT is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus.
Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps: DUPIXENT is indicated as an add-on maintenance treatment in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: DUPIXENT is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 1 year and older, weighing at least 15 kg, with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
Prurigo Nodularis: DUPIXENT is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with prurigo nodularis (PN).
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: DUPIXENT is indicated as an add-on maintenance treatment of adult patients with inadequately controlled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and an eosinophilic phenotype. Limitations of Use: DUPIXENT is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm.
CONTRAINDICATION: DUPIXENT is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to dupilumab or any of its excipients.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONSHypersensitivity: Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, serum sickness or serum sickness-like reactions, angioedema, generalized urticaria, rash, erythema nodosum, and erythema multiforme have been reported. If a clinically significant hypersensitivity reaction occurs, institute appropriate therapy and discontinue DUPIXENT.
Conjunctivitis and Keratitis: Conjunctivitis and keratitis occurred more frequently in AD subjects who received DUPIXENT versus placebo, with conjunctivitis being the most frequently reported eye disorder. Conjunctivitis also occurred more frequently in adult CRSwNP subjects, PN subjects, and COPD subjects who received DUPIXENT compared to those who received placebo. Conjunctivitis and keratitis have been reported with DUPIXENT in postmarketing settings, predominantly in AD patients. Some patients reported visual disturbances (e.g., blurred vision) associated with conjunctivitis or keratitis. Advise patients or their caregivers to report new onset or worsening eye symptoms to their healthcare provider. Consider ophthalmological examination for patients who develop conjunctivitis that does not resolve following standard treatment or signs and symptoms suggestive of keratitis, as appropriate.
Eosinophilic Conditions: Patients being treated for asthma may present with serious systemic eosinophilia sometimes presenting with clinical features of eosinophilic pneumonia or vasculitis consistent with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), conditions which are often treated with systemic corticosteroid therapy. These events may be associated with the reduction of oral corticosteroid therapy. Healthcare providers should be alert to vasculitic rash, worsening pulmonary symptoms, cardiac complications, and/or neuropathy presenting in their patients with eosinophilia. Cases of eosinophilic pneumonia were reported in adult subjects who participated in the asthma development program and cases of vasculitis consistent with EGPA have been reported with DUPIXENT in adult subjects who participated in the asthma development program as well as in adult subjects with co-morbid asthma in the CRSwNP development program. A causal association between DUPIXENT and these conditions has not been established.
Acute Symptoms of Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Acute Deteriorating Disease: Do not use DUPIXENT to treat acute symptoms or acute exacerbations of asthma or COPD, acute bronchospasm, or status asthmaticus. Patients should seek medical advice if their asthma or COPD remains uncontrolled or worsens after initiation of DUPIXENT.
Risk Associated with Abrupt Reduction of Corticosteroid Dosage: Do not discontinue systemic, topical, or inhaled corticosteroids abruptly upon initiation of DUPIXENT. Reductions in corticosteroid dose, if appropriate, should be gradual and performed under the direct supervision of a healthcare provider. Reduction in corticosteroid dose may be associated with systemic withdrawal symptoms and/or unmask conditions previously suppressed by systemic corticosteroid therapy.
Patients with Co-morbid Asthma: Advise patients with co-morbid asthma not to adjust or stop their asthma treatments without consultation with their physicians.
Arthralgia: Arthralgia has been reported with the use of DUPIXENT with some patients reporting gait disturbances or decreased mobility associated with joint symptoms; some cases resulted in hospitalization. Advise patients to report new onset or worsening joint symptoms. If symptoms persist or worsen, consider rheumatological evaluation and/or discontinuation of DUPIXENT.
Parasitic (Helminth) Infections: It is unknown if DUPIXENT will influence the immune response against helminth infections. Treat patients with pre-existing helminth infections before initiating therapy with DUPIXENT. If patients become infected while receiving treatment with DUPIXENT and do not respond to anti-helminth treatment, discontinue treatment with DUPIXENT until the infection resolves. Helminth infections (5 cases of enterobiasis and 1 case of ascariasis) were reported in pediatric patients 6 to 11 years old in the pediatric asthma development program.
Vaccinations: Consider completing all age-appropriate vaccinations as recommended by current immunization guidelines prior to initiating DUPIXENT. Avoid use of live vaccines during treatment with DUPIXENT.
ADVERSE REACTIONS:Most common adverse reactions are:
Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information
References: