Brand-name drug Dupixent (dupilumab) is only available with a prescription. The following conditions are approved for treatment by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
- Moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (eczema). Both adults and children over the age of six may use the medication.
- Chronic rhinosinusitis accompanied by nasal polyps. For this problem, dupixent is used in conjunction with other ongoing therapies. For this use in some individuals, the medication is approved.
- A moderate to severe case of asthma. People with eosinophilic asthma or asthma that needs oral corticosteroids are given Dupixent prescriptions. Dupixent has been given the go-ahead for this use in both adults and kids 6 years of age and older.
If you and your doctor decide that the medication is effective for your illness, you’ll probably take Dupixent for a long time.
The following are quick facts regarding Dupixent:
- Dupilumab, a biologic, is the active component. dependable source
- Class of drugs one-of-a-kind antibody
- Subcutaneous injection of a liquid solution in a syringe or pen with a prefilled medication
- FDA certification year: 2017
Dupixent has negative effects, much as other medicines. Discover potential common, minor, and severe side effects by reading on. See this article for more information regarding Dupixent’s usage as well as a basic overview.
More Typical Dupixent Negative Effects
Some undesirable effects, sometimes referred to as side effects, can be brought on by dupixent more frequently than others. These negative effects could only last a few days or weeks. However, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist if the adverse effects persist for a longer period of time, irritate you, or get severe.
These are only a handful of the negative effects that users of Dupixent in clinical studies claimed were more frequently occurring. Depending on the ailment the medication is being used to treat, these adverse effects may change.
People taking Dupixent for atopic dermatitis (eczema) more frequently experience the following negative effects:
- Cold sores on the lips and around the mouth are examples of reactions where the medication is injected, along with discomfort and swelling in pink eye,
- Cold sores on the lips and around the mouth, blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids),
- Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), and discomfort and swelling in the area where the drug is injected are some adverse reactions.
Dupixent users who have rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps are more likely to have the following negative effects:
- High amounts of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, which can cause symptoms like discomfort and swelling where the medicine is administered.
- Insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
- Gastritis and tooth pain (stomach inflammation)
Asthma patients on Dupixent may experience the following more frequent adverse effects:
Reactions where the medication is injected, such as pain and swelling in the throat or soreness an abundance of eosinophils, a kind of white blood cell.
Dupixent Mild Side Effects
Dupixent may cause minor adverse reactions. Not all potential moderate side effects of the medication are covered by this list. You can consult the Dupixent prescription information for further details.
Dupixent has been associated with the following mild side effects:
- Painful joints
- Repercussions at the injection site, including discomfort and swelling
- The lips and mouth are covered in cold sores.
- Discomfort in the throat
- Increased eosinophil counts among white blood cells
- Insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
- Toothache
- Gastritis (stomach inflammation)
These adverse reactions could only last a few days or weeks. However, if the adverse effects persist for a longer period of time, irritate you, or get severe, be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) keeps tabs on and assesses a drug’s side effects after giving it the go-ahead. Visit MedWatch to notify the FDA of any negative effects you experience while taking Dupixent.
Dupixent’s Harmful side Effects
Serious side effects from Dupixent are possible. The medicine could have other major adverse effects not listed below. You can consult the Dupixent prescription information for further details.
Call your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any severe adverse effects from taking Dupixent. Call 911 or your local emergency number as soon as you notice any adverse effects that look life-threatening or suspect a medical emergency.
The following are serious adverse effects associated with Dupixent that are covered in more detail below under “Side effect specifics”:
- Adverse effects on the eyes
- Eosinophilic circumstances
- Allergic response
Adverse long-term consequences
According to a clinical trial, Dupixent’s side effects were the same whether the medication was used temporarily or permanently.
The majority of Dupixent’s side effects are transient. However, the medication can occasionally have negative effects that could last a long time. These include adverse eye-related consequences like altered vision and onset of new or worsening eye diseases. Vasculitis is one of the negative effects (swelling and inflammation of blood vessels).
See the “Side effect specifics” section below for more details about vasculitis and side effects including the eyes.
Dupixent side effects frequently asked questions
Dupixent may have a number of adverse effects. Here are some often asked queries about the adverse effects of the medication, along with their responses.
When using Dupixent, should I anticipate gaining weight?
It’s unlikely that using Dupixent would cause you to gain weight. In the drug’s initial clinical testing, users did not report weight gain.
Since the medication was licenced, a tiny studyTrusted Source discovered a potential connection between Dupixent treatment and weight gain in adults with atopic dermatitis (eczema). But more investigation is required to determine whether Dupixent or another factor contributed to the individuals’ weight gain.
Dupixent is used to address certain diseases, however certain other medications can also result in weight gain. These other medications include corticosteroids like prednisone (Rayos, Prednisone Intensol).
Consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns concerning weight gain or your Dupixent therapy.
Does Dupixent lead to thinning hair?
In clinical tests, Dupixent users did not report hair loss as a negative effect.
However, since Dupixent’s approval, there have been a few isolated cases of persons losing their hair as a result of taking the medication.
Dupixent, on the other hand, has been shown to lessen hair loss in certain persons. People with alopecia areata and atopic dermatitis have been the subjects of studies (a genetic cause of hair loss). Atopic dermatitis and hair loss were both decreased by dupixent. This information has led to the drug’s being investigated to see if it can treat hair loss.
Dupixent’s potential for causing or treating hair loss is yet unknown. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for further information about Dupixent and hair loss.
Is Dupixent’s side effect of fatigue?
It’s unlikely that taking Dupixent would cause you to feel tired or under the weather. Clinical study participants who took the medication didn’t mention feeling tired.
But the medication mepolizumab, which is comparable, has a side effect of weariness (Nucala). For the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma, mepolizumab is approved.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns about your level of energy while taking Dupixent. They could have ideas on how to improve it.
What negative effects might I anticipate if I use Dupixent for my asthma?
When taking Dupixent for asthma, more frequent adverse effects include:
symptoms where the medication is injected, such as discomfort, edoema, and soreness in the throat
large concentrations of eosinophils, a kind of white blood cell
You may consult the prescribing material for Dupixent to see a complete list of the side effects the medication may have on asthmatics. You might also consult a physician or a pharmacist.
Can Dupixent cause headaches as a side effect?
It’s improbable that using Dupixent would cause headaches as a side effect. In clinical studies, none of the drug’s users experienced headaches.
However, Fasenra (benralizumab) and Nucala, two related medications, both have headache as a side effect (mepolizumab). For the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma, these two medications are authorised.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about experiencing headaches while taking Dupixent.
Is cancer one of the negative effects of Dupixent?
No, Dupixent is not known to cause cancer as a side effect. In the drug’s clinical studies, no one who took it reported getting cancer.
However, Xolair (omalizumab), another asthma medication, may raise your risk of developing some cancers. These comprise skin cancer and breast cancer.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have concerns about your risk of developing cancer or inquiries about Dupixent.
Specific Side Effects
Discover more about a few possible adverse effects of Dupixent.
Symptoms involving the eyes
Dupixent may result in ocular (eye-related) adverse effects, such as:
- Rosacea blepharitis (eyelid inflammation)
- keratitis (inflammation of the cornea)
- visual changes due to dry or irritated eyes
- Clinical trials showed that eye-related adverse effects were uncommon.
Eye redness, discharge, discomfort, and watery eyes are examples of these side effects.
Attainable actions
Consult your doctor right away if you begin to suffer any eye-related side effects while taking Dupixent. They could aid in selecting the best course of action. You might even be asked to stop using Dupixent as a result.
Aching joints
Joint pain can happen even though it is uncommon with Dupixent. In clinical investigations, several patients who used the medication for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps noticed this side effect.
Joint pain was not reported by those taking Dupixent for asthma or atopic dermatitis, but it was possible.
How you can help
Consult your doctor if you are experiencing joint pain while taking Dupixent. They might be able to suggest a course of action, like an OTC painkiller. But they could advise you to stop taking Dupixent if your joint pain persists.
Eosinophilic circumstances
Dupixent rarely causes eosinophilic disorders as a side effect when used to treat asthma. Infections like pneumonia and vasculitis are examples of eosinophilic diseases (swelling and inflammation in your blood vessels).
White blood cells known as eosinophils aid in the body’s defence against infection. High eosinophil counts can contribute to inflammatory issues.
Eosinophilic disorders can present with symptoms like:
fever, enlarged lymph nodes, odd skin growths, and fever
How you can help
Consult your doctor right away if you get any symptoms of eosinophilic diseases while taking Dupixent. Call 911 or your local emergency number straight away if you feel like your symptoms are life-threatening or you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency.
An Allergic Response
Dupixent, like the majority of medications, can give some users an adverse response. In the drug’s clinical testing, this side effect was incredibly infrequent.
An injection site response, which can happen where you inject Dupixent, is distinct from an allergic reaction. You can experience symptoms from an injection site reaction, such as discomfort and edoema.
An allergic reaction can cause minor or severe symptoms, such as:
Rash\sitching\sflushing
Your skin may bulge underneath, usually in your lips, eyelids, feet, or hands.
throat, mouth, or tongue swelling that can restrict your breathing
How you can help
Call your doctor straight away if you experience any mild adverse reaction symptoms. They could make suggestions for symptom relief and decide if you should continue taking Dupixent. However, if your symptoms are severe and you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right once.
Guidelines for Dupixent
Before using Dupixent, be sure to discuss your medical history with your doctor. If you have specific medical issues or other variables that affect your health, this medication might not be the best course of action for you. The circumstances and elements
Parasitic disease. Your immune system’s capacity to combat a parasite infection may be lowered by dupixent. Before using Dupixent, any parasitic infection (such as a tapeworm infection) will need to be treated. You can learn more about parasite infections and potential treatments from your doctor.
joint discomfort that has just developed or has gotten worse. Dupixent may aggravate already existing joint pain. Before beginning to use Dupixent, let your doctor know if you have a history of joint pain. Additionally, while taking Dupixent, be sure to let your doctor know if you have any new or worsening joint pain. In such instances, they could advise consulting a rheumatologist or discontinuing Dupixent therapy.
Vaccines. With Dupixent, some vaccinations are not safe to obtain. In particular, avoid live immunizations while undergoing this therapy. A weakened version of the pathogen that the vaccination is intended to protect against is present in live vaccines. Examples include the vaccines for chickenpox, measles, mumps, and rubella, as well as the nasal spray flu vaccination. Before beginning Dupixent medication, check with your doctor to make sure you have had all the recommended vaccinations.
Attack of Asthma. Sudden asthma attacks are not treatable with Dupixent. Dupixent can aid in the relief of asthma symptoms, resulting in fewer and milder asthma attacks. However, the medication does not treat asthma episodes directly.
An allergic response. If you’ve ever experienced an allergic reaction to Dupixent or any of its ingredients, you shouldn’t use it. Find out from your doctor which alternative therapies would be the best fit for you.
Intoxicants and Dupixent
There are no known interactions between taking Dupixent and ingesting alcohol.
But drinking can make the conditions Dupixent is prescribed to treat worse. For this reason, discuss your illness and how alcohol may influence it with your doctor. They can advise you on the recommended daily alcohol intake.
Breastfeeding while taking Dupixent during pregnancy
Here are some details about Dupixent medication, breastfeeding, and pregnancy.
Pregnancy. It is unknown if using Dupixent while pregnant is safe. You might choose to register with a pregnancy registry if you and your doctor decide that taking the medicine while pregnant is the best course of action for you. The registry keeps track of the wellbeing of those who use Dupixent while pregnant. Visit the registry website or dial 877-311-8972 for further information or to register. You could also consult your physician.
Breastfeeding. It is unknown if Dupixent is safe to use during nursing or if it goes into human breast milk. The benefits and drawbacks of the medicine can be discussed with your doctor. They can also suggest nutritious meal options for your kid.
When to consult your Physician
Dupixent may produce negative effects, much like most drugs. The majority of Dupixent’s negative effects are modest and usually go away on their own. However, there are a few uncommon but severe side effects that users of the medication in clinical studies have reported.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information if you want to know more about Dupixent. If you have any inquiries about the medication’s adverse effects, they can assist.
You can conduct some independent research in addition to speaking with your doctor. These articles could be useful:
- More details regarding Dupixent. Refer to this article for more information about Dupixent’s other features.
- Observe how you are doing. See our list of dermatological articles if you’d like more details about eczema. Refer to our list of ear, nose, and throat articles for more information about rhinosinusitis. Visit our asthma and allergy hub and list of asthma articles to learn more about asthma.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all content is factually accurate, thorough, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information in this page. Before taking any medication, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.
