Dupixent vs. Nucala

Dupixent (dupilumab) injection and Nucala (mepolizumab) for injection are monoclonal antibodies used to treat asthma.

Dupixent is also used to treat adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. Dupixent can be used with or without topical corticosteroids.

Nucala is also used to treat adult patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and to treat adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) for 6 or more months without an identifiable non-hematologic secondary cause.

Side effects of Dupixent and Nucala that are similar include injection site reactions.

Side effects of Dupixent that are different from Nucala include pink eye (conjunctivitis), swollen or puffy eyelids, oral herpes, inflammation of the cornea (keratitis), eye itching, other herpes simplex virus infection, and dry eye.

Side effects of Nucala that are different from Dupixent include headache, back pain, fatigue, flu symptoms, urinary tract infection (UTI), abdominal pain, itching, eczema, and muscle spasms.

Dupixent may interact with "live" vaccines, warfarin, and cyclosporine.

Nucala may interact with other drugs.

Common side effects of Dupixent include:

• injection site reactions,
• pink eye (conjunctivitis),
• swollen or puffy eyelids,
• oral herpes,
• inflammation of the cornea (keratitis),
• eye itching,
• other herpes simplex virus infection, and
• dry eye.

Common side effects of Nucala include:

• headache,
• injection site reaction,
• back pain,
• fatigue,
• flu symptoms,
• urinary tract infection (UTI),
• abdominal pain,
• itching,
• eczema, and
• muscle spasms

Dupixent (dupilumab) injection is aninterleukin-4 receptor alpha-antagonist indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. Dupixent can be used with or without topical corticosteroids.

Nucala (mepolizumab) is an interleukin-5 (IL-5) antagonist monoclonal antibody (IgG1 kappa) indicated for add-on maintenance treatment of patients with severe asthma aged 6 years and older, and with an eosinophilic phenotype; the treatment of adult patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA); and the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) for 6 or more months without an identifiable non-hematologic secondary cause.

Dupixent may interact with:

• "live" vaccines,
• warfarin, or
• cyclosporine

Nucala may interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

The recommended dose of Dupixent is an initial dose of 600 mg (two 300 mg injections in different injection sites), followed by 300 mg given every other week.

The dose of Nucala is 100 mg administered subcutaneously once every 4 weeks. Nucala may interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.