The DEGAS study, conducted by the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR), observed 41 adolescents and adults across 11 medical centers. Participants who received dupilumab during the 12-week trial period showed measurable reductions in stomach eosinophil counts and improved tissue pathology compared to those in the placebo group. These benefits persisted as the trial transitioned into an open-label extension, maintaining a safety profile consistent with the drug’s performance in other conditions.
Dupilumab Shows Promise in Treating Rare Eosinophilic Gastritis
Patients suffering from eosinophilic gastritis, a rare inflammatory stomach disease that forces many to adopt restrictive, lifelong diets, may soon have a medical alternative. A phase 2 clinical trial published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology indicates that the monoclonal antibody dupilumab significantly reduces disease markers in the stomach.
Dupilumab works by inhibiting interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, two cytokines central to type 2 inflammation. While already approved for conditions such as atopic dermatitis and eosinophilic esophagitis, its application for eosinophilic gastritis—which affects roughly 5 to 7 people per 100,000—represents a new therapeutic frontier. Marc Rothenberg, director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Cincinnati Children's, noted that repurposing established therapies offers a vital pathway for addressing rare diseases that often lack dedicated pharmaceutical investment. Researchers now aim to refine dosing and treatment duration in larger trials to better correlate these biological improvements with patient quality of life.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!