Dupilumab may benefit skin barrier function in patients with atopic dermatitis

In a poster presented at the 2022 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for PAs & NPs, held June 3 to 5 in Scottdale, Arizona, investigators evaluated the effect of dupilumab (Dupixent; Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc) on skin barrier function in adults and adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) over 16 weeks of treatment.

The BALISTAD study (NCT04447417) was open label and exploratory of skin barrier function in patients aged 12 to 65 years. Adults and adolescents were dosed differently. Adult AD patients received dupilumab 300 mg every 2 weeks (q2w), while adolescents received 200 mg q2w if the patients were under 60 kg and 300 mg if they were 60 kg or over.

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was analyzed for skin barrier assessment before and after skin tape stripping from both lesional and nonlesional skin. These patients (26 patients with AD and 26 patients with normal, healthy skin) were examined over 16 weeks.

Investigators concluded that results from the study were consistent with dupilumab’s known safety profile. “Dupilumab treatment led to rapid normalization and normalization of epidermal barrier function measured by significant reduction of TEWL in lesional skin of adults and adolescents with moderate to severe AD, associated with significant improvement in signs, symptoms, and quality of life,” they wrote.

Reference:

Bissonnette R, Goleva E, Berdyshev E, et al. Dupilumab treatment normalizes skin barrier function and improves clinical and patient reported outcomes in adults and adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. Poster presented at: 2022 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for PAs & NPs. June 3-5, 2022. Scottsdale, Arizona and virtual.