FDA Approves A Powerful Drug For Severe Eczema Treatment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a powerful drug called Dupixent to treat severe eczema. This will be a breakthrough for those who are suffering from the said condition for years.

The drug could be a relief for patients with eczema. On the other hand, it will cost a significant amount. It has a list price of $37,000 a year, yet it is still lower than other biological drugs that treat other skin diseases, according to The New York Times.

The developer of this injected medicine is the Sanofi SA and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals of Tarrytown, New York. It was approved by FDA on Tuesday to treat moderate or severe eczema.

Eczema is a skin disease that causes itchy and red rashes on the face, arms and legs. Most patients use topical medications, moisturizers, steroid creams, ultraviolet light and antihistamines to relieve itching. On the other hand, these could only treat mild eczema.

The drug has been examined in three studies, which involved 2,199 participants. The results showed that one-third to two-thirds had achieved clear or nearly clear skin. It also lowered the itching by about 4 in 10. This lessens the symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as having better sleep. Dupixent is injected under the skin, to which it binds to a particular protein to prevent the immune system's inflammatory response, according to USA Today.

Dr. Lisa Beck, a dermatology professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, said that this skin disease starts in young children, then to their adulthood. She further said that most of these patients gave up on health care because they did not deliver them something new for few years.

With the approval and discovery of Dupixent, the severe eczema patients could now feel relieved. Experts also said that the said drug also known as dupilumab works well and just have a few side effects.