Dupixent improves symptoms in patients with skin of colour, study shows
Ella Day | June 11, 2025 | News story | Advocacy Development, Medical Education, Research and Development | Dermatology, Dupixent, Regeneron, Sanofi, atopic dermatitis, dermatology, underserved populations
Sanofi and Regeneron have announced results from the collaborative phase 4 DISCOVER study, presented at the Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis Conference, Nashville, US, on 7 June, highlighting the impact of Dupixent (dupilumab) in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) and skin of colour.
The open-label trial enrolled 120 patients with Fitzpatrick skin types IV–VI, including Black, Asian, Native American, and other ethnic groups. It is the first clinical study to assess Dupixent in a large population of patients with darker skin tones.
After 24 weeks of treatment, 76% of patients achieved at least a 75% improvement in disease severity, with some showing results as early as two weeks. Clinically meaningful relief from itch was reported by 53% of patients, while self-reported dry skin dropped from 78% to 18%. Patients also experienced a 53% reduction in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, a symptom particularly prevalent in AD among people with darker skin. The safety profile was consistent with previous Dupixent studies, with most adverse events reported as mild to moderate.
AD often presents differently in patients with skin of colour and is more likely to be misdiagnosed or its severity underestimated, which can lead to delayed or inadequate care.
“AD has a high prevalence and quality of life impact on patients with skin of coloUr,” said Andrew Alexis, professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine, US. “This data deepens the clinical understanding of AD within underserved groups.”
Ella Day
11/6/25
This article featured in: July 2025 – The Pharmafile Brief
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