Dupilumab Improves HRQoL, Asthma Control Irrespective of Coexisting Type 2 Conditions

Treatment with dupilumab (Dupixent) improves symptomatic asthma control in patients with moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma irrespective of the presence of coexisting chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and/or nasal polyposis (NP), according to findings from a recent study.1

Results from the analysis of the RAPID registry were presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference 2025 by Andreanne Cote, MD, MSCE, faculty of medicine at Laval University, and highlight dupilumab’s benefit for asthma control in patients with and without coexisting CRS and/or NP as well as improved CRS symptoms in patients with CRS and/or NP.1

After being granted US Food and Drug Administration approval for asthma in 2018, dupilumab gained an additional indication for inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis in 2019.2,3

“Asthma frequently coexists with other type 2 inflammatory diseases such as CRS and NP, resulting in poor asthma control and impaired quality of life,” Cote and colleagues wrote.1 “Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that blocks the shared receptor component for interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, key and central drivers of type 2 inflammation, demonstrated efficacy in multiple clinical trials of patients with asthma; however, few studies provide evidence for its real-world effectiveness.”

To address this gap in research, investigators analyzed data from the RAPID registry, a global, prospective, observational registry of patients ≥ 12 years of age initiating dupilumab for asthma as the primary indication in a real-world setting. Their analysis characterized patient-reported outcomes in patients with and without a history of coexisting CRS and/or NP.1

Investigators assessed unadjusted annualized rate of severe exacerbation events at month 12 and change from baseline throughout the 12-month study period in scores from the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) and the 6-item Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-6). Outcomes were stratified by the presence of coexisting CRS and/or NP.1

Data for 205 patients were analyzed, including 94 with ongoing CRS and/or NP and 111 without ongoing CRS and/or NP. At week 52, investigators noted the unadjusted annualized rates of severe exacerbations were similar in patients with and without ongoing CRS and/or NP (0.146 vs 0.129, respectively).1

Dupilumab reduced SNOT-22 scores in patients with ongoing CRS and/or NP, with mean reductions of −15.2 (standard deviation [SD], 21.3), −19.8 (SD, 20.7), and −17.0 (SD, 26.2) points at months 1, 6, and 12, respectively.1

Dupilumab additionally reduced mean ACQ-6 scores by −0.9 (SD, 1.2), −1.1 (SD, 1.1), −1.2 (SD, 1.2), −1.3 (SD, 1.2), and −1.3 (SD, 1.1) points at months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12, respectively, in patients with ongoing CRS and/or NP. In patients without ongoing CRS and/or NP, ACQ-6 scores were reduced by −1.1 (SD, 1.1), −1.3 (SD, 1.1), −1.3 (SD, 1.3), −1.2 (SD, 1.1), and −1.4 (SD, 1.1) points at these same time points.1

“In this analysis of RAPID, dupilumab improved symptomatic asthma control in patients with moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma, irrespective of the presence of coexisting CRS and/or NP, and also improved CRS symptoms in patients with CRS and/or NP,” investigators concluded.1

References

1. Cote A, Mosnaim GS, Lugogo NL, et al. Dupilumab Improves Health-related Quality of Life and Asthma Control in Patients With and Without Coexisting Type 2 Conditions: Results From the RAPID Study [abstract]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2025;211:A1399. https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm.2025.211.Abstracts.A1399

2. Kunzmann K. FDA Approves Dupilumab For Asthma Add-On Therapy. HCPLive. October 19, 2018. Accessed May 20, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-approves-dupilumab-for-asthma-addon-therapy

3. Kunzmann K. FDA Approves Dupilumab for Severe CRSwNP. HCPLive. June 26, 2019. Accessed May 20, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-approves-dupilumab-severe-crswnp