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.
Open asthma trials
Efficacy and Safety Evaluation for the Treatment of Allergy Against Mites
A double-blinded, placebo-controlled, prospective, multicenter randomized of 2 active treatment groups, compared to 1 placebo group, for the determination of the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy in patients with rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma, sensitised to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and /or Dermatophagoides farinae.
Single Dose of Antenatal Corticosteroids for Pregnancies at Risk of Preterm Delivery (SNACS)
Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) reduce the risks of neonatal death and morbidities in preterm infants, such as respiratory distress syndrome. The standard of care for pregnant people at risk of preterm birth includes 2 doses of Celestone (for a total of 24 mg in Canada, or 22.8 mg in Australia) to accelerate fetal lung maturity. The investigators plan to conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine whether half the usual dose (12 mg in Canada, or 11.4 mg in Australia) of Celestone is non-inferior to the standard double doses.