Researchers are increasingly finding new utility for already existing drugs. Here it is dupilumab (Dupixent, manufactured by the Regeneron group), used for eczema, which would be useful in treating the symptoms of asthma. It is in the form of an antibody injection and received its marketing authorization in the United States in 2017. It is currently at the heart of several studies to assess its effectiveness in the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as asthma, but also nasal polyposis, eosinophilic esophagitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), grass allergy …
2 times less asthma attacks
To study the effects of dupilumab on asthma, nearly 2,000 people, aged 12 and over, with moderate to severe asthma, volunteered. For a year, they were either given doses of 200 to 300 milligrams of the drug every 15 days or a placebo. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
As a result, those who benefited from the treatment saw their number of asthma attacks cut in half. Their respiratory function had also improved significantly and the use of corticosteroids was significantly reduced. For now, the treatment has not yet been approved, but the US Medicines Agency is expected to issue its opinion by October 2018.
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