What It Looks Like
Dupixent is a clear and colourless to pale yellow, preservative-free liquid solution available in a pre-filled syringe with or without needle shield.
The needle shield reduces the risk of accidental needle stick injuries.
Dupixent is available in two different strengths:
- 300 mg in 2 mL solution
- 200 mg in 1.14 mL solution
Can Using Dupixent Increase Your Risk For Cancer
No, thats not likely. Studies havent found any increased risk of cancer in people who receive Dupixent.
There is an increased risk of cancer with certain immunosuppressant medications used to treat severe eczema or asthma. Immunosuppressants weaken your immune system, which is your bodys defense against disease. These medications can reduce your bodys ability to find and kill cancerous cells.
But Dupixent doesnt weaken your entire immune system. It only affects a couple of immune system proteins. So its unlikely to affect your bodys ability to find and destroy cancerous cells.
Learn more about some of the side effects Dupixent may cause.
Finding A Doctor You Trust Can Make A Difference
When recalling her first encounter with Dr. Dass, Oryanna remembers: I knew that Dr. Dass was going to the be one to help me find a treatment option that worked for me.
After discussing her CRSwNP with Dr. Dass, Oryanna discovered that oral corticosteroids and surgery werent her only options.
Together, they teamed up to explore;a new treatment option;called Dupixent® , an add-on biologic;medicine that works differently from treatments she tried previously. Dupixent blocks two key sources of; type 2 inflammation, which can underlie CRSwNP.
Dupixent is a prescription medicine;indicated with other medicines for the maintenance treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis in;adults whose disease is not controlled. It is not known if Dupixent is safe and effective in children with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis under 18 years of age. Dupixent is also indicated with other asthma medicines for the maintenance treatment of moderate-to-severe eosinophilic or oral steroid dependent asthma in people aged 12 years and older whose asthma is not controlled with their current asthma medicines. Dupixent is not used to treat sudden breathing problems. It is not known if Dupixent is safe and effective in children with asthma under 12 years of age.
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What To Do In Case Of Overdose
If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.
When you get Dupixent from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the box of syringes. This date is typically one year from the date they dispensed the medication.
The expiration date helps guarantee the medication will be effective during this time. The of the Food and Drug Administration is to avoid using expired medications. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it.
When The Eczema Patient Is Also A Doctor
Vivian Shi, MD, a dermatologist on the faculty of the University of Arizona Health Sciences in Tucson, brings a unique perspective to her medical practice, teaching and research: shes an AD patient herself.
Shi spent her childhood in China, and her family emigrated to the United States when she was in her early teens. Her AD only added to her feelings of vulnerability as an immigrant.
Vivian Shi, MD
But as she matured, Shi made it her mission to become a physician and work on finding improved treatments for the condition that had haunted her for most of her life. Today, her greatest wish is to help her patients not be defined by their AD, she said.
Eye problems are concerning, Shi admitted, but her approach is to refer patients on Dupixent to an ophthalmologist the minute eye symptoms show up. And even if a patient has unwelcome side effects, Theyll usually say, Please dont take me off it! So far, I havent had to, Shi said.
Asked whether Shi is taking Dupixent herself, the answer was no. Moving to Arizona has made my AD better, she explained. I also recognize my triggers. As I often tell my patients, knowledge is power.
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How Does Biologic Therapy Treat Severe Asthma
Asthma is a complex disease. Many patients are able to control asthma with inhaler therapy. But some patients with severe asthma have episodes of frequent symptoms and episodes where the asthma gets much worse even when they use more than one inhaler. Now there are new options called biologic therapy to help patients with severe asthma. Biologic therapies offer new ways of treatment because they target different molecules in the body that contribute to asthma.
What Is Severe Asthma
Severe asthma is a specific classification of asthma: it;and;is;asthma that remains uncontrolled despite treatable factors having been addressed,;and maximal inhaled therapy being taken regularly.;It is estimated that 3-8% of all people with asthma have severe asthma.;
A severe asthma;diagnosis;is different from severe asthma attack or flare-up.;;
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What Is Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is the most prevalent form of eczema seen today. Its an immunological disease that leads to excess inflammation. This inflammation can cause itchy patches on the surface of the skin, commonly on the face, hands, knees, neck, elbows, and ankles.;
Moderate to severe atopic dermatitis may not be easily controlled by topical prescription therapies, as prescribed topical medications can trigger flare-ups. During a flare up, atopic dermatitis symptoms will worsen and lead to exacerbated skin discomfort.;
Why I Decided To Stop Using Dupixent
So why would I ever risk this new and amazing lifestyle? Despite all of the freedom this miracle drug has graciously granted me, I purposely and consciously chose to begin tapering off Dupixent in May of 2017. This was my journal entry for that day:
I decided Im going to withdraw from Dupixent to see how bad my body is and if its still going through TSW.
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How To Use Dupixent
You can inject the Dupixent pre-filled syringe into your thigh or stomach, except for the 2 inches around your belly button. If a caregiver injects the dose, they can also use the outer area of the upper arm.
Choose a different site each time you inject Dupixent. Do not inject into skin that is tender, damaged, bruised or scarred.
Lay the Dupixent Syringe on a flat surface and let it naturally warm to room temperature for at least 30 minutes or 45 minutes . Do not heat the syringe or place in direct sunlight.
- Before injection, wash your hands well with soap and water. Pinch a fold of skin at the injection site . Insert the needle completely into the fold of the skin at about a;45° angle.
- Relax the pinch. Push the plunger rod down slowly and steadily as far as it will go until the Dupixent Syringe is empty. Lift your thumb to release the plunger rod until the needle is covered by the needle shield and then remove the syringe from the injection site.
- Dispose of the syringe as directed.
What are the side effects of Dupixent ?
eye pain or discomfort
watery eyes
pain, swelling, burning, or irritation where an injection was given.
blood vessel inflammation
eye redness or itching, puffy eyelids
stomach pain, nausea, vomiting
Eczema Studies With Dupixent
Eczema studies were conducted for 16 weeks in children, teens and adults with moderate or severe eczema . These studies looked at skin improvement and reduction in itching.
Adults
In clinical trials in over 2,100 adults with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe eczema , clearer skin was seen in 16 weeks of treatment with Dupixent.
- Clear or almost clear skin was reported in 37% of patients taking Dupixent compared to 9% of those not using the drug, a four-fold increase. Nearly half of adult patients saw a 75% skin improvement, and some saw a 90% improvement, compared to those not using Dupixent .
- Itch reduction with Dupixent occurred rapidly, as early as 2 weeks, and was sustained. Close to 4 times more adults also had a significant reduction in itching when using Dupixent compared to those not using the drug.
- Also, in a 52-week study, 13% of patients receiving Dupixent who did not respond at week 16 were reported to have responded by week 52. Itch reduction has been shown to last through one year, as well.
Teens
For teens 12 to 17 years of age with moderate-to-severe eczema not adequately controlled with topical prescription treatments, significant results were seen 16 weeks after starting treatment.
Children
In children 6 to 11 years old using Dupixent plus a topical corticosteroid for severe eczema, who received either the 200 mg or 300 mg dose, over twice as many children saw clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks when compared to those using a topical corticosteroid only.
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Taking Dupixent With Other Drugs
Its common for doctors to prescribe Dupixent along with other types of drugs.
Some examples of other kinds of drugs that you may take with Dupixent include:
- nasal corticosteroids or nasal , for chronic sinusitis treatment
If you have questions about taking other drugs with Dupixent, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Fda Approves Dupilumab For Asthma Add
The interleukin pathway-targeting monoclonal antibody has been previously approved for adult atopic dermatitis, and is being considered for a handful more inflammatory or allergic conditions.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved dupilumab as an add-on maintenance therapy for adults and adolescents aged 12 years or older, with an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma.
The human monoclonal antibody biologics from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi, highlighted by its interleukin 4 and 13 inhibition capabilities, has now been approved for 2 inflammatory condition indicationsand is being investigated for another 3 more.
With the approval, dupilumab becomes the only biologic approved for oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma, regardless of phenotype, and the only asthma biologic that offers patient self-administration at home.
The FDAs acceptance of its initial supplemental biologics application earlier this year was based on the findings from a trio of pivotal trials in the companies clinical development LIBERTY ASTHMA program, in which investigators assessed dupilumabs effect on a patient population of 2888 adults and adolescents with uncontrolled asthma.
The only adverse event to have occurred in more than 10% of the adolescent patient population was injection site reactionsit was reported in 9% and 0% of the 200 mg and 300 mg dupilumab groups, respectively.
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Is Dupixent Used To Treat Cancer Dyshidrotic Eczema Alopecia Or Psoriasis
No, Dupixent is only approved to treat atopic dermatitis , asthma, and chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps. To learn about these conditions, see the What is Dupixent used for? section above.
But its possible that healthcare professionals may prescribe this drug off-label for other conditions.
If you have questions about Dupixents effectiveness for other conditions, talk with your doctor.
Dupixent Severe Exacerbation Reductio
Regulatory filings for Dupixent to address moderate-to-severe asthma in children aged between six and 11 years are expected to be filed in the first quarter of 2021, both in the United States and. Dupixent® Significantly Reduced Severe Asthma Attacks in Children and is the Only Biologic to Demonstrate Improvement in Children’s Lung Function in a Randomized Phase 3 Tria Asthma biologic agents The last several years have seen an influx of asthma biologic agents to hit the market. Here we will discuss the 5 that are currently FDA approved to treat type 2 inflammatory asthma. Type 2 asthma inflammation is triggered by IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 along with other inflammatory.
In the past 30 days, Dupixent has had 812 airings and earned an airing rank of #1,038 with a spend ranking of #808 as compared to all other advertisers. Competition for Dupixent includes Anoro, Prevnar 13, TRELEGY, Symbicort, Spiriva and the other brands in the Pharmaceutical & Medical: Rx: Asthma & COPD industry Moderate-to-Severe Asthma. Indicated as add-on maintenance treatment for patients with eosinophilic phenotype or PO corticosteroid dependent asthma. <12 years: Safety and efficacy not established. 12 years. 400 mg SC once, then 200 mg q2weeks, OR. 600 mg SC once, then 300 mg q2weeks. 600 mg initial, then 300 mg q2weeks for patients with PO.
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Dupixent Use With Other Drugs
Dupixent can be used along with topical corticosteroids you apply to your skin, such as triamcinolone, to help relieve symptoms of eczema . These topical corticosteroids usually come in the form of creams or ointments.
Calcineurin inhibitors, such as tacrolimus , are another type of cream or ointment that can be used along with Dupixent. Topical calcineurin inhibitors should only be used on irritated skin including your face, neck, and genital areas.
Calcineurin inhibitors do not prevent eczema. However, they can be helpful in treating currently inflamed skin. Therefore, calcineurin inhibitors should only be used where you have eczema.
When Dupixent is used for asthma, it can be used along with steroids and a rescue inhaler. Dupixent will not treat an asthma attack, so you should continue to use your rescue inhaler as needed.
Dont stop taking steroids abruptly. Talk to your doctor about whether you need to continue taking your steroid medication while using Dupixent. Sometimes, steroid doses can be reduced or stopped altogether.
Dupixent Tv Commercial ‘better Breathing’
- Dupixent is currently approved as an add-on treatment for patients with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma aged 12 and older with elevated eosinophils or oral corticosteroid dependent asthma
- The FDA accepts Sanofi’s sBLA for review of Dupixent for treating moderate-to-severe asthma in children aged six-11 years. A verdict from the FDA is expected on Oct 21, 2021
- In October 2018, Dupixent was approved in the U.S. as an add-on maintenance therapy in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma aged 12 years and older with an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma. Dupixent is not used to treat sudden breathing problems
- DUPIXENT® in Moderate-to-Severe Asthma HC
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What Are Dupixents Side Effects
Like most drugs, Dupixent may cause mild or serious side effects. The lists below describe some of the more common side effects that Dupixent may cause. These lists dont include all possible side effects.
The common side effects of Dupixent can vary with the condition its treating. Also, keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:
- your age
- other health conditions you have
- other medications you may be taking
Some side effects of Dupixent may continue for as long as youre receiving the drug. But no long-term side effects are known to affect people after theyve stopped taking it.
If you have questions about side effects of Dupixent, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
How Should I Use Dupixent
Use Dupixent exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets.
Dupixent is not a rescue medicine for asthma attacks. Use only fast-acting inhalation medicine for an attack. Seek medical attention if your breathing problems get worse quickly, or if you think your asthma medications are not working as well.
Dupixent is injected under the skin, usually once every 2 to 4 weeks. Your first dose may be given in 2 injections.
A healthcare provider may teach you how to properly use the medication by yourself. Read and carefully follow any Instructions for Use provided with your medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don’t understand all instructions.
Do not shake the prefilled syringe or injection pen. Prepare your injection only when you are ready to give it. Do not use if the medicine looks cloudy, has changed colors, or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medicine.
Store this medicine in the original carton in the refrigerator. Protect from light and do not freeze.
Take a syringe or pen out of the refrigerator and let it reach room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before injecting your dose. Leave the needle cap on until you are ready to inject your dose.
You may store a prefilled syringe or injection pen at cool room temperature for up to 14 days. Throw the medicine away if not used within 14 days. Do not put it back into the refrigerator.
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Will Using Dupixent Give You Headaches Or Make You Feel Fatigued
Headaches and fatigue werent reported in studies of Dupixent. But thats not to say these side effects wont happen with this drug. These are common side effects that can be caused by many medications. And theyre also a common problem in people with long-term conditions.
If you have troublesome headaches or fatigue during Dupixent treatment, talk with your doctor. They can look for the cause and recommend ways to manage the problem.
Side Effects And Risks
Dupixent and Xolair have some similar side effects and others that differ. Below are examples of these side effects.
More common side effects
These lists contain examples of more common side effects that can occur with Dupixent, with Xolair, or with both drugs .
- Can occur with Dupixent:
* Occurs only if youve been exposed to the herpes virus
Serious side effects
These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Dupixent, with Xolair, or with both drugs .
- Can occur with Dupixent:
- eosinophilic conditions, including pneumonia and vasculitis
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