Advancement in Eczema Treatment
The results of a phase II clinical trial have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that the new drug dupilumab has good, dose dependent effects in the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.
Like many of the biological drugs discussed in these pages, dupilumab is a super-specific biological antibody. Each of these ‘biologics’ can have very specific targets and indeed dupilumab blocks the intercellular signaling molecules (or cytokines) interleukin-4 and 13. These cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis.
Side-effects included nasal rhinitis and headaches, but overall, the drug looks to offer a promising new approach in the treatment of severe atopic dermatitis. Further phase II and III studies are planned, and with hope, approval for use of this drug in both the US and Europe will come in the near future.
