Abstract Background Dysphagia, odynophagia, chest pain, and heartburn are symptoms that disrupt the daily lives of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, is approved in the US and EU for EoE in patients aged ≥1 year weighing ≥15 kg. In the pivotal phase 3 LIBERTY EoE TREET study (NCT03633617), dupilumab 300 mg weekly (qw) significantly improved dysphagia vs placebo at Week (W)24. Aims We assessed the impact of continued dupilumab use on dysphagia, odynophagia, chest pain, and heartburn to Week 52. Methods Data were pooled from patients aged ≥12 years, treated with dupilumab qw or placebo for 24 weeks in Parts A and B of LIBERTY EoE TREET who continued to Part C and received dupilumab qw to W52. The number of days without dysphagia (Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire DSQ question Q 2) and number of days without odynophagia (DSQ Q4; answered only if dysphagia is reported in Q2) over a 14-day period were analyzed at baseline and every 2 weeks to W52. Odynophagia outcomes were assessed in patients with ≥1 day of odynophagia in the 14 days prior to baseline. The proportion of patients without both chest pain and heartburn over the previous 7 days was measured by the EoE Symptom Questionnaire (EoE-SQ), which assesses 5 symptoms (chest pain, stomach pain, heartburn, regurgitation, throwing up) on a 5-point scale (1=never, 5=more than once a day) at W24 and W52. Results At W24, the mean number of days without dysphagia and without odynophagia was greater in patients on dupilumab vs placebo at W24 (no dysphagia: 8.7 vs 5.5 days; no odynophagia: 10.1 vs 6.8 days respectively; both nominal P0.0001) (Fig. 1). By W52, the mean number of days without dysphagia and without odynophagia increased in patients switching from placebo to dupilumab (no dysphagia: 8.6 days; no odynophagia: 8.9 days) and was maintained in patients continuing dupilumab (no dysphagia: 9.4 days; no odynophagia: 10.6 days) (Fig. 1). At W24, a greater proportion of patients on dupilumab had no chest pain or heartburn vs placebo (48.6% vs 28.4%, nominal P0.01). By W52, the proportion of patients with no chest pain or heartburn increased in the group who switched from placebo to dupilumab at W24 (58.5%) and was maintained in patients continuing dupilumab (54.3%). Conclusions Dupilumab improved dysphagia, odynophagia, chest pain, and heartburn vs placebo, at W24 in patients with EoE. Improvements were further maintained to W52. Funding Agencies Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Dellon et al. (Sun,) studied this question.