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AsthmaJanuary 2024

What the EXCURSION Trial Found — Long-Term Dupilumab in Children With Asthma

EXCURSION followed 365 children ages 6-11 with moderate-to-severe asthma on dupilumab — a biweekly under-the-skin injection — for an additional year after the parent study. The drug stayed safe and effective, with no new safety concerns.

What the trial was testing

The EXCURSION enrolled 378 patients with asthma. The study was sponsored by Sanofi and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.

It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.

What the results showed

Long-term dupilumab held steady on safety in children with asthma.

The Lancet Respiratory Medicine · 2024 · NCT03560466

These findings — that long-term dupilumab use in children 6-11 with moderate-to-severe asthma — were published in the The Lancet Respiratory Medicine and represent the headline result of the study.

Researchers tracked outcomes across 378 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.

What this means for patients

For patients with asthma, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.

What you can do now

Dupilumab (Dupixent) is FDA-approved and available now for moderate-to-severe asthma in children 6 and older. It is given as an injection every two weeks. Ask a pediatric allergy or pulmonology specialist whether it fits your child's asthma.

Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.