Study Design of a Phase 2/3 Randomized Controlled Trial of Dupilumab in Adults with Bullous Pemphigoid: LIBERTY-BP ADEPT

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a rare, autoimmune, blistering skin disease associated with high disease burden, profoundly decreased quality of life and increased morbidity. Emerging evidence supports an important role for type 2 inflammation in disease pathogenesis. Current management relies on topical and/or systemic corticosteroids, non-selective immunosuppressants and antibiotics with anti-inflammatory properties, which are all limited by side effects and toxicities. Therefore, targeted, efficacious and safe therapies are needed. Dupilumab blocks the shared receptor component for interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, key and central drivers of type 2 inflammation. Several reports of patients successfully treated with dupilumab have been published; however, dupilumab has not been formally assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Objectives: We report the design of LIBERTY-BP ADEPT, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in adults with BP. Methods: LIBERTY-BP ADEPT comprises a 35-day screening, 52-week treatment and 12-week follow-up period. Approximately 98 adults aged 18–90 years with moderate-to-severe BP are being enrolled at 51 sites on 4 continents and randomized 1:1 to subcutaneous dupilumab or placebo every 2 weeks. All participants will receive concomitant oral corticosteroids (OCS). Planned Outcomes: The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients achieving complete remission off steroid therapy at week 36. Key secondary endpoints include total cumulative OCS dose to week 36, percent change and proportion of patients with ≥ 4-point reduction in the weekly average of daily Peak Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale from baseline to week 36 and percent change in Bullous Pemphigoid Area Index score from baseline to week 36. Conclusion: The trial results will provide evidence on whether the efficacy and safety of dupilumab support its use as a potential novel treatment approach for BP and will provide new insights into the role of type 2 inflammation in BP pathogenesis. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04206553.