dupilumab for treating severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

Dupilumab in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

• is a fully human IgG4 monoclonal antibody against the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor α (IL-4Rα) subunit, which is shared by the type I IL-4 and the type II IL-4/IL-13 receptor complexes
  • by binding to and blocking this subunit, dupilumab inhibits IL-4 and IL-13, which are the major drivers of human type 2 inflammatory disease [e.g. asthma, atopic dermatitis and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps
• two placebo-controlled, multinational, phase III studies of 24 and 52 weeks' duration, the addition of dupilumab (300 mg every 2 weeks) to the intranasal corticosteroid treatment of adults with severe, inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps was generally well tolerated and improved nasal polyp size, sinus opacification and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL), relieved the major symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (nasal congestion or obstruction, nasal discharge and loss of smell) and reduced the use of systemic corticosteroids and the need for nasal polyp surgery (1)
  • improvements in nasal polyp size, sinus opacification and nasal congestion or obstruction were achieved regardless of the presence of comorbid asthma or NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease, or a history of previous nasal polyp surgery, with patients with comorbid asthma also demonstrating improvements in lung function and asthma control regardless of their baseline eosinophil count
  • study authors stated that:
    • add-on subcutaneous dupilumab is a valuable treatment option for adults with inadequately controlled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

NICE state (2):

Dupilumab, as an add-on to intranasal corticosteroids, can be used as an option to treat severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in adults if:

• the condition is not controlled well enough by systemic corticosteroids or sinus surgery, and
• they have had at least 1 sinus surgery, and
• the 22-item sinonasal outcomes test (SNOT-22) score is at least 50

Reference:

1. Hoy SM. Dupilumab: A Review in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps. Drugs. 2020 May;80(7):711-717.
2. NICE (February 2026). Dupilumab for treating severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.