The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion recommending to extend the approval of Dupixent (dupilumab) in the European Union (EU) to include add-on maintenance treatment for children aged 6 to 11 years with severe asthma with type 2 inflammation characterized by raised blood eosinophils and/or raised fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) who are inadequately controlled on two maintenance therapies. The European Commission is expected to announce a final decision on the Dupixent application in the coming months.
The CHMP positive opinion is supported by Phase 3 data recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that Dupixent added to standard of care significantly reduced the rate of severe asthma attacks and rapidly improved lung function within two weeks, with sustained improvement up to 52 weeks, in children with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma. The safety results from the trial were generally consistent with the known safety profile of Dupixent in patients aged 12 years and older with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma. Adverse events more commonly observed with Dupixent compared to placebo included injection site reactions, viral upper respiratory tract infections and eosinophilia. Helminth infections were also more commonly observed with Dupixent compared to placebo in patients aged 6 to11 years.
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in children. Up to 85% of children with asthma may have type 2 inflammation and are more likely to have higher disease burden. Despite treatment with current standard-of-care inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and bronchodilators, these children may continue to experience serious symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. Severe asthma may impact children’s developing airways and cause potentially life-threatening exacerbations. Children with severe asthma also may require the use of multiple courses of systemic corticosteroids that carry significant risks. Uncontrolled severe asthma can interfere with day-to-day activities, like sleeping, attending school and playing sports.
On October 20, 2021, Dupixent was approved by the FDA as an add-on maintenance treatment for patients aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma. The use of Dupixent in children aged 6 to 11 years with uncontrolled severe asthma is investigational in the EU and is not yet approved.