Sanofi and Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody (mAb) Dupixent (dupilumab) met all primary and key secondary endpoints in a phase 3 trial for the chronic infammatory skin disease prurigo nodularis.

Dupixent signifcantly reduced itching and skin lesions compared to placebo in the investigational trial setting.

Specifcally, 37% of Dupixent patients experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in itching from baseline, compared to 22% of placebo patients.

Nearly three times as many Dupixent patients experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in itching from baseline at week 24 (58% of Dupixent patients compared to 20% of placebo patients).

Patients treated with Sanof’s biologic therapy also experienced ‘signifcantly greater improvements’ across a number of health-related quality of life measures as well as skin pain and anxiety and depression symptoms.

“This data is an important step forward in furthering our knowledge of the role that targeting IL-4 and IL13 can play in the treatment of skin diseases that cause extreme itch. We are committed to continuing to leverage the robust Dupixent clinical programme to transform the understanding of the science behind a number of type 2 infammatory diseases and look forward to presenting the full results at a future medical congress,” said John Reed, global head of Research and Development at Sanofi.

Individuals living with prurigo nodularis experience symptoms including intense and persistent itching with thick skin lesions – nodules – that can cover most of the body.

There are currently no approved systemic treatments for the condition – high-potency topical steroids are often used which are associated with safety risks if used long-term, Sanof said in a statement.

“These results show – for the frst time in a phase 3 prurigo nodularis trial – that a systemic medicine is able to address the most debilitating symptoms such as itch without broadly suppressing the immune system, building on the promise of Dupixent in a broad range of serious dermatologic, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases,” said George Yancopoulos, president and chief scientifc ofcer at Regeneron.