Mechanisms of Dupilumab in AERD

April 23, 2026 updated by: Andrew White, Scripps Clinic

Mechanisms of Dupilumab in AERD - Effects on Aspirin Hypersensitivity Response, With a Focus on Innate Type 2 Inflammatory Responses

Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD), although uncommon in the general population, is an important phenotype of severe asthma and nasal polyposis where it occurs in 15% of severe asthmatics, and up to 30% of those with nasal polyposis. An important therapy for AERD is aspirin therapy after desensitization (ADAT). This is an inexpensive and proven therapy to improve the burden of sinus disease in AERD. Aspirin desensitization is the mechanism by which tolerance is induced in AERD patients. This is a 1-2 day outpatient procedure whereby increasing doses of aspirin are administered and the patients invariably experience some degree of hypersensitivity reactions.

It is important to understand the effect of medications on the aspirin desensitization. It is known that the leukotriene modifier medications decrease the severity of the reactions in AERD. Other treatments such as antihistamines and the biologic agent omalizumab might have an effect on either blocking or blunting reactivity in AERD during desensitization.

Dupilumab is a new respiratory biologic approved for atopic dermatitis, eosinophilic asthma and nasal polyposis. As such, it is well situated to be used for many AERD patients whose disease cannot be well controlled. The effect of dupilumab on the aspirin desensitization process and reaction is unknown and is the topic of this investigation.

The primary objective is to determine the effect of dupilumab on reactions during aspirin challenge/desensitization.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

16

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

    • California
      • San Diego, California, United States, 92130
        • Scripps Clini

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects >18 years old with Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease

This is diagnosed via either a positive oral aspirin or intranasal ketorolac challenge OR a history of at least two stereotypical hypersensitivity reactions to aspirin leading to nasal-ocular symptom and/or asthmatic symptoms.

  • Current treatment with dupilumab at standard asthma/nasal polyposis dosing of 300mg subcutaneously every 2 weeks for a minimum of 12 weeks.
  • All subjects will be required to have a known history of nasal polyposis either via imaging, endoscopy, or nasal examination

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of gastrointestinal reactions (severe abdominal pain with or without vomiting) during NSAID triggered events
  • Unstable asthma or history of severe reactions during previous desensitization attempts
  • inability to take montelukast pretreatment
  • history of gastrointestinal bleeding or bleeding disorder
  • pregnancy
  • previous use of any other respiratory biologic in the past 3 months (omalizumab, tezepelumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab)
  • need for systemic corticosteroids to stabilize asthma prior to challenge
  • time from sinus surgery <1 month.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Aspirin Challenge
All subjects will undergo a standardized aspirin challenge

Dupilumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that blocks the receptor component for IL-4 and IL-13, which are key drivers of type 2 inflammation. All subjects will be prescribed this at standard 300mg subcutaneous dosing every 2 weeks. The intervention will be the response to aspirin challenge.

All 16 subjects will receive dupilumab. All subjects will undergo an aspirin challenge/desensitization procedure. It is estimated that 50% of subjects will have a respiratory reaction to aspirin and 50% will not. There will not be any randomization.

Other Names:
  • Dupixent

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Rate of positive challenges to aspirin challenge
Time Frame: Aspirin challenge = 6 weeks after starting dupilumab/placebo. Aspirin challenge day = up to 8 hours

Aspirin challenge reactions will be defined as either 1) >15% drop in FEV1 or 2) >25% drop in peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) or 3) >5 point change in composite symptom score.

Spirometry is a standardized measure of airflow obstruction used to define lower airway reaction to aspirin in AERD.

Nasal inspiratory flow rates are measured using an inverted peak flow meter and have been correlated with nasal obstruction occurring during nasal reactions to aspirin in AERD.

Symptom Score - symptoms are a typical part of an aspirin reaction with increase in congestion, itching, cough, and chest tightness.

Aspirin challenge = 6 weeks after starting dupilumab/placebo. Aspirin challenge day = up to 8 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 25, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 20, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

April 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 19, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 31, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

September 2, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 28, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 23, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SHUCSD06242020

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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