Dupixent, an injectable medication, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (prolonged inflammation of the sinuses and nasal cavity) with nasal polyps (growths on the inner lining of the sinuses).
“Nasal polyps can lead to loss of smell and often patients require surgery to remove the polyps,” said Sally Seymour, director of the division of pulmonary, allergy and rheumatology products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Dupixent provides an important treatment option for patients whose nasal polyps are not adequately controlled with intranasal steroids. It also reduces the need for nasal polyp surgery and oral steroids.”
Before approval, two studies of 724 adults were conducted. The result was reduction in nasal polyp size and nasal congestion.
Dupixent may cause allergic reactions, eye irritation and conjunctivitis.
This is the first treatment of its kind to treat chronic rhinosinusis with nasal polyps.
