Dupilumab for prurigo nodularis: Case series and review of the literature.

Abstract

Dupilumab is a recombinant complete human monoclonal antibody modulating the signaling of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 pathways and has been approved for the treatment of moderate/severe atopic dermatitis. Here, we present three cases of prurigo nodularis treated off-label with dupilumab, and a review of the existing literature. All patients in this study had longstanding severe disease and had tried multiple treatment modalities. They were treated with dupilumab at an initial dose of 600 mg subcutaneously, followed by 300 mg every 2 weeks. Systematic literature searches were performed to identify literature describing the evaluation of the effect of treatment with dupilumab in prurigo nodularis. The physician's assessment of the patients revealed a good or excellent response to the treatment with dupilumab. Patients were evaluated after treatment for 4 and 7 months. Treatment was generally well-tolerated; one in three patients reported dry eyes. Four studies with a total of 11 patients (range: 1-4) were identified by the literature search. Complete response was noted in all 11 patients. Treatment with dupilumab appears to be safe and well-tolerated with clinical benefit in recalcitrant prurigo nodularis. Larger randomized and controlled trials using validated outcome measures are needed before dupilumab could be applied in clinical settings.