The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved dupexant (dupilumab) injections as adjunctive therapy for certain adults with poorly controlled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“People living with inadequately controlled COPD are waiting for new medicines to help manage the daily suffering they experience from shortness of breath, wheezing, fatigue and unexpected hospital admissions. does,” said Jane Wright, MD, CEO of the COPD Foundation. Drug manufacturer’s statement.
“These patients often struggle with everyday activities that most people take for granted, such as walking or walking outside the house,” Dr. Wright said in the statement. “We welcome the approval of this new treatment option to provide a new way to help patients achieve better control of their disease.”
When inhaled medications are not enough for COPD
People with COPD have conditions that restrict airflow in the lungs and make breathing difficult. Most people have either emphysema, which occurs when the air sacs in the lungs called alveoli don’t work properly, or chronic bronchitis – which occurs when inflammation of the airways in the lungs. Causes phlegm to accumulate.
Many COPD patients take a combination of several medications to manage symptoms such as chronic cough, chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue. In clinical trials reviewed by the FDA as part of the approval process, dupexant was tested in people who were already taking two inhaled bronchodilators to open the airways and an inhaled steroid to reduce inflammation or that People who use only two bronchodilators because steroids are not. A good choice for them.
“We have good medications for COPD and many patients respond and improve their asthma and their ability to do things,” said Nick Hania, MD, professor, airway clinician at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Research center director says. , and author of Research on Medicine.
“However, about 40 to 50 percent of patients experience an increase in their breathing.” Dr. Hanania says.
In clinical trials, dupexant reduced exacerbations in moderate to severe COPD
In two late-stage clinical trials, current and former smokers with COPD had significantly fewer symptoms when dupexant was added to a regimen of two or three inhaled COPD medications. All patients also had pulmonary inflammation confirmed by elevated blood levels of eosinophils. Both trials randomly assigned patients to receive dupexant or placebo along with their regular treatment regimen for 52 weeks.
These findings suggest that dupexant may be a good add-on treatment for people who have high eosinophil levels that suggest inflammation in their lungs and who don’t get enough symptomatic relief from COPD inhalers, Hanania says.
“In clinical trials, we have shown that this drug reduces exacerbations in this subpopulation and improves lung function and improves symptoms on top of existing treatments,” Hanania says.
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