Introduction
Dupilumab (trade name: Dupixent) has been approved in Germany since October 2019 for the treatment of severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal in adults. It is used as an additional treatment to steroid nasal sprays. It is an option if the use of steroid tablets or surgery have not been effective enough.
Rhinosinusitis is the medical term for of the lining of the nose and the paranasal sinuses, which may be caused by an , for instance. The typical symptoms include a stuffy (blocked) or runny nose, a cough, fever and pain (especially in the sinus area).
This may be acute or chronic (lasting for more than three months).
If rhinosinusitis becomes chronic, may form. These are benign growths in the mucous lining of the paranasal sinuses. They obstruct the passage of air through the paranasal sinuses even more and make it easier for germs to settle there.
Treatment with dupilumab aims to reduce the inflammation in the mucus lining by inhibiting a chemical messenger that promotes .