Safety of dupilumab in a 5-month-old infant with severe atopic dermatitis

Pediatr Dermatol. 2022 Mar;39(2):291-294. doi: 10.1111/pde.14980.

Abstract

Dupilumab is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody that suppresses Th2-mediated inflammation by inhibiting signaling of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 through the interleukin-4 alpha receptor subunit, and is approved by the FDA for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in children 6 years of age and older. While initial data from phase 2 trials in children less than 6 years are promising, dupilumab use in children less than 6 months of age is not well studied. Here we present a case of a 5-month-old boy with severe primary AD, eosinophilia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and poor weight gain, who was successfully treated with dupilumab and experienced no serious adverse effects. To our knowledge, this is the youngest patient to receive dupilumab to date.

Keywords: atopic dermatitis; dupilumab; eczema; monoclonal antibody; systemic therapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized* / adverse effects
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized* / therapeutic use
  • Dermatitis, Atopic* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Interleukin-4
  • Male
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Interleukin-4
  • dupilumab