The purpose of this study is to compare Eosinophilic Esophagitis treatments Eohilia with Dupixent in their effects on diameter and scarring of the esophagus.
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic disease mediated by environmental allergens and type 2 immune inflammation which causes significant symptoms, food impactions, and stenosis. EoE is associated with significant esophageal stricturing disease. In particular, the odds of developing fibrostenotic disease in EoE more than double per decade of life, and the longer symptoms are present prior to diagnosis and treatment, the higher the likelihood of esophageal strictures being present. Dupilumab and budesonide oral suspension are key treatments for EoE. Dupilumab was FDA approved for EoE in 2022 and inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 signaling which mediate type-2 inflammation and may have an anti-fibrotic effect. IL-13 promotes M2 macrophage polarization, and a recent study showed fibrosis was macrophage-dependent in a mouse model of EoE. Swallowed topical steroids have been used off label in patients with EoE for several years with studies showing effects on improvement in esophageal diameter and reduction in esophageal strictures. The budesonide oral suspension was recently FDA approved in 2024. Further study is needed to understand the effect of these treatments on esophageal stenosis and fibrosis as no clinical trials have compared these treatments or their effects on esophageal diameter to date. Barium esophagram and functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) are important tools used to measure esophageal diameter in EoE. The investigators hypothesize that dupilumab is superior to topical budesonide oral suspension for its effect on esophagram minimum diameter and FLIP distensibility plateau in EoE patients. • Primary Efficacy Endpoint: Alternative Hypothesis: There will be a greater increase in minimum esophageal diameter in patients receiving dupilumab compared to budesonide oral suspension at 12 weeks. • Secondary Efficacy Endpoint(s): Alternative Hypothesis: There will be greater distensibility on EndoFLIP topography in patients receiving dupilumab compared to budesonide oral suspension at 12 weeks. Symptoms, endoscopic findings, and histologic severity will be improved in patients receiving dupilumab compared to budesonide oral suspension at 12 weeks. Lamina propria fibrosis and collagen fiber density as determined by second harmonic generation microscopy will be improved in the dupilumab group in comparison to the budesonide oral suspension group.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
60
300 mg weekly injection
2mg twice daily
Esophageal diameter
the minimum esophageal diameter after 12 weeks of treatment.
Time frame: from enrollment until up to 14 weeks
Distensibility and diameter change
Secondary outcomes will include distensibility and change in minimum diameter as measured by endoFLIP topography
Time frame: from baseline to end of treatment at 14 weeks
EEsAI questionnaire scores
comparison of questionnaires that are scored 0-100 before and after treatment.
Time frame: from enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
Endoscopic refernece score (EREFS)
comparison of EREFs scores on scale of 0-9 at EGDs
Time frame: from enrollment up to end of treatment at 12 weeks
Eosinophil counts
number of eosinophils found in biopsy during EGD
Time frame: from enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 weeks
Eoe Histologic Scoring system (EoEHSS)
An EoEHSS score is given by looking at a biopsy taken during an endoscopy. The score is based on observation of the appearance of the biopsy under a microscope. Score range is 0 to 1
Time frame: from enrollment to end of treatment at 12 weeks
M2 macrophage polarization
comparison of myofibroblast differentiation
Time frame: from enrollment to end of treatment at 12 weeks
Lamina propria remodeling
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characterizing Lamina propria remodeling by second harmonic imaging microscopy
Time frame: from enrollment to end of treatment at week 12