Purpose: Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, blocks the shared receptor component for interleukins-4/-13, key and central drivers of type 2 inflammation in multiple diseases. This post hoc analysis of the Phase 3 LIBERTY ASTHMA VOYAGE study (NCT02948959) evaluated the efficacy of dupilumab in children aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe asthma with a type 2 inflammatory phenotype (blood eosinophil count ≥150 cells/µL or fractional exhaled nitric oxide [FeNO] ≥20 ppb) and a history of 1, 2, or ≥3 prior exacerbations. The impact of baseline type 2 biomarker levels on the efficacy of dupilumab in this population was also investigated.
Patients and methods: Patients were stratified by the number of exacerbations in the prior year (1, 2, or ≥3) and level of FeNO or blood eosinophil count at baseline. Endpoints included rate of severe exacerbations, percentage of non-exacerbators, and change from baseline in both lung function parameters (pre- and post-bronchodilator [BD] percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (ppFEV1) and ppFEV1/forced vital capacity [FVC] ratio) and Asthma Control Questionnaire 7 Interviewer-Administered (ACQ-7-IA) score.
Results: A total of 350 patients were included in this analysis. Across patients with 1, 2, or ≥3 prior exacerbations and different levels of type 2 biomarkers, dupilumab reduced the risk of severe asthma exacerbations vs placebo by 53.0-96.0% and improved both pre-BD ppFEV1 and pre-BD FEV1/FVC ratio at Week 52. Dupilumab led to significant reductions in ACQ-7-IA scores in all groups of patients by Week 52.
Conclusion: In children with uncontrolled, moderate-to-severe asthma with a type 2 phenotype, dupilumab consistently reduced the risk of asthma exacerbations, improved lung function, and reduced ACQ-7-IA scores, regardless of exacerbation history.
Keywords: anti-interleukin-4 and -13; asthma control; biologics; lung function; pediatric asthma; type 2 asthma.
© 2024 Guilbert et al.