Methods for treating allergy and enhancing allergen-specific immunotherapy by administering an IL-4R antagonist
Methods for enhancing the efficacy, safety, and/or tolerability of a grass allergen-specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) regimen in a subject having a grass allergy are provided. Methods comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutic composition comprising an interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) antagonist, such as an anti-IL-4R antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof, are provided.
1 . A method for enhancing the tolerability of a grass allergen-specific immunotherapy in a subject having an allergy to a grass allergen, the method comprising:
administering to the subject one or more doses of an interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) antagonist in combination with a grass allergen-specific immunotherapy regimen, wherein the IL-4R antagonist is subcutaneously administered and wherein at least one dose of the IL-4R antagonist is administered prior to the start of the grass allergen-specific immunotherapy regimen;
wherein the IL-4R antagonist is dupilumab.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject has a history of grass pollen-induced seasonal allergic rhinitis.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is an adult.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the grass allergen is Timothy, Bahia, Bermuda, Johnson, Kentucky bluegrass, Orchard, Redtop, Rye, Sweet Vernal, or Meadow Fescue grass.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the grass allergen is Timothy grass.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is administered at a dose of about 75 mg to about 600 mg.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is administered at a dose of 300 mg once a week or once every two weeks.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is administered at a dose of 200 mg once a week or once every two weeks.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is administered as an initial dose followed by one or more secondary doses, wherein the initial dose and the one or more secondary doses each comprise 50 mg to 600 mg of the IL-4R antagonist, and wherein each secondary dose is administered 1 to 4 weeks after the immediately preceding dose.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the initial dose comprises 600 mg and each secondary dose comprises 300 mg of the IL-4R antagonist.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each secondary dose is administered 2 weeks after the immediately preceding dose.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the initial dose comprises 400 mg and each secondary dose comprises 200 mg of the IL-4R antagonist.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each secondary dose is administered 2 weeks after the immediately preceding dose.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is contained in a container selected from the group consisting of a glass vial, a syringe, a pre-filled syringe, a pen delivery device, and an autoinjector.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is contained in a pre-filled syringe.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pre-filled syringe is a single-dose pre-filled syringe.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is contained in an autoinjector.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the IL-4R antagonist is contained in a pen delivery device.