Live Vaccines While Taking Dupilumab Explained

A position paper published online in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reviewed the safety of administering live vaccines to people currently treated with Dupilumab®, a biologic therapy.

Dupilumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha subunit, thus blocking the effects of IL-4 and IL-13. It has shown efficacy in treating various conditions, including asthma, atopic dermatitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, and others.

Because Dupilumab is now approved for use in patients from six months of age for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, a reported contraindication is now posing a clinical dilemma for patients and clinicians.

After a systematic review of available data, this panel concluded on June 5, 2024, that stopping treatment with Dupilumab is unnecessary to administer live vaccines.

However, the panel recommends that doctors and patients/parents engage in shared decision-making to determine the timing and necessity of administering live vaccines to individuals being treated with Dupilumab or whether treatment should be paused.

As a clinical resource, board-certified allergists/immunologists have special training in managing and treating people with asthma or allergies who may benefit from this medication.

According to MedlinePlus, there are five types of vaccines are currently available, including live virus vaccines. These vaccines use the weakened (attenuated) form of the targeted virus. The MMR and the varicella (chickenpox) vaccines are examples.