Reducing the type 2 inflammation underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder with dupilumab
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Reviewed by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
Translated by Nhi Phuong Quynh Le, B.A. |
Posted on August 21st, 2023
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The pathophysiology behind chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is driven by type 2 inflammation which is coordinated by cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Dupilumab is a monoclonal antibody that can bind to a receptor that is shared between IL-4 and IL-13. It was hypothesized that the interruption of dupilumab can reduce the intensity of inflammation and the severity of COPD.
The phase 3 clinical trial included 939 patients who are current or former smokers between the age of 40 to 80 years old. These patients had been receiving inhaled glucocorticoids in addition to long-acting muscarinic antagonists and long-acting β2-agonists for at least 3 months. Their post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) ranges between 30 and 70% of the normal value. The study participants were randomly assigned to receive either a subcutaneous injection containing either placebo or 300 mg of dupilumab every 2 weeks. After 52 weeks of treatment, the researchers found that dupilumab reduced the rate of moderate-to-severe COPD by 30%. In addition, when compared to baseline, dupilumab increased the FEV1 value by 160 mL, which was significantly higher than the 83 mL increase observed in the control group. These functional improvements lead to better clinical outcomes and quality of life when measured by the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire and the Evaluating Respiratory Symptoms in COPD instrument. In terms of safety, there was no difference in the rate of adverse events between the two groups.
The phase 3 clinical trial included 939 patients who are current or former smokers between the age of 40 to 80 years old. These patients had been receiving inhaled glucocorticoids in addition to long-acting muscarinic antagonists and long-acting β2-agonists for at least 3 months. Their post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) ranges between 30 and 70% of the normal value. The study participants were randomly assigned to receive either a subcutaneous injection containing either placebo or 300 mg of dupilumab every 2 weeks. After 52 weeks of treatment, the researchers found that dupilumab reduced the rate of moderate-to-severe COPD by 30%. In addition, when compared to baseline, dupilumab increased the FEV1 value by 160 mL, which was significantly higher than the 83 mL increase observed in the control group. These functional improvements lead to better clinical outcomes and quality of life when measured by the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire and the Evaluating Respiratory Symptoms in COPD instrument. In terms of safety, there was no difference in the rate of adverse events between the two groups.