Recently, the UK’s Medicines, and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned of some new and potentially serious eye-related side effects associated with Sanofi & Regeneron’s Dupixent, a drug used in the treatment of numerous allergic indications. Leading data and analytics company, GlobalData, notes that, although this safety update will likely raise physician vigilance regarding long-term Dupixent use, it is unlikely to impact overall prescribing patterns for the product.

According to GlobalData, Dupixent is expected to gross $17.5 billion globally by 2030, outpacing all other agents in the space.

Ramla Salad, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Dupixent is an extremely important and effective product in the treatment of severe allergic disease—it isn’t going anywhere. However, it is key that physicians and patients are made aware of the potential for side effects, and that guidelines are put in place to address issues when they arise.”

The MHRA announced that it had received 479 UK reports of ocular side effects associated with Dupixent use, with 111 of those being considered serious. Of these reports, nine were for ulcerative keratitis, an eye-related condition that directly affects the cornea and can impact a patient’s vision if not properly managed. These more serious events spurred the MHRA to work on new guidance and product information for the management of patients with Dupixent-related eye complications.

Salad notes: “The MHRA’s findings will likely trigger competitors to look more closely at the safety of their products. This includes Leo Pharma’s Adtralza (tralokinumab), which has also been linked to conjunctivitis issues. Additionally, upcoming competitors such as Eli Lilly’s lebrikizumab (which also targets IL-13) and Galderma’s nemolizumab (which targets IL-3) may be able to use improved adverse event profiles to help differentiate their products.”