From a Pro Surfer to an 8-Year-Old Girl, These People Aren't Letting Eczema Slow Them Down

Professional surfer Coco Ho has a long list of achievements and accolades: she earned her first surfing sponsorship when she was just 8 years old and became the youngest woman ever to qualify for the World Surf League Women's World Tour at age 17. In her 20s, however, she started experiencing symptoms of moderate-to-severe eczema — a disease that was hard to deal with while surfing in hot weather.

"It's almost like I'm carrying around a wound. There's an open, burning sensation that doesn't go away. I feel very in tune with my entire body, but then there's this one intense patch that really irritates me." Ho says. "It doesn't qualify as a sports injury or some sort of inhibitor. I don't even tell anyone about it, but it really impacts me."

Learning how to cope with her eczema symptoms when they occur can make it challenging to stay in competitive shape. "You can be so confident and comfortable, but then you start itching and you feel bummed out," Ho says. "To manage my symptoms in and out of the water, it's important to prioritize self-care by finding strategies that work for me."

For these reasons and more, Coco is excited to be partnering with Sanofi and Regeneron on The Now Me: Beach Mode and helping to share stories of people who are taking Dupixent (dupilumab). While Coco is not currently on Dupixent, a treatment for people ages 6 months and older with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe AD, she hopes that by sharing her story she can help empower those living with the disease to feel comfortable with their own skin.

Adante's moderate-to-severe eczema also developed in adulthood. A few years ago, he started noticing raised and scaly rashes popping up occasionally on his arms and torso, and even around his eyes.

Adante worked with his doctor to find the right treatment for him — Dupixent, the only biologic medicine approved for people ages 6 months and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis that is not well-controlled with topical prescription therapies, or for those who cannot use topical therapies.

Dupixent targets a key source of inflammation deep beneath the skin to help reduce skin lesions on the surface. In two clinical trials, almost four times more adult patients taking Dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks compared with those not taking Dupixent (37% taking Dupixent vs 9% not taking Dupixent). Adult patients also experienced significant reduction in itch when treated with Dupixent (38% vs 11% in those not taking Dupixent).

People shouldn't use Dupixent if they are allergic to it or its ingredients. The most common side effects in patients with atopic dermatitis include injection site reactions, eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision, cold sores in your mouth or on your lips, and high count of a certain white blood cell (eosinophilia). Serious side effects include allergic reactions that can sometimes be severe, eye problems and joint aches and pain. Scroll to view full Important Safety Information and Indication.

Since trying Dupixent, Adante's disease has become more controlled, and he feels he can focus on the summer activities he loves, without thinking as much about how his eczema symptoms may interfere. "I can go to the beach and have fun, without being as worried about my skin," he says. "I love to jump in the water or join a pickup game of beach volleyball!"

Eight-year-old Calla has struggled with atopic dermatitis ever since she was an infant. Around the time she turned 5, her eczema became much more severe as her itch and irritation got worse, particularly when exposed to triggers like heat or salt water.

"It was actually during a beach trip that I realized we really needed to do something to be proactive about Calla's eczema," her mom, Jill, explains. "Her skin got so irritated and itchy — I decided right then and there we needed to do more to address it."

After spending a long time trying different topical prescription medicines, Calla's doctor helped Jill decide to try Dupixent and see if it could work for Calla. "Calla's doctor said people who are allergic to Dupixent, or its ingredients shouldn't use it," recalls Jill. "And of course, we discussed her medical conditions and other medicines she was taking, in addition to the most common and serious side effects."

Over the next few months, Calla saw an improvement. Her skin was clearer, and she wasn't itching as much. In a clinical trial at 16 weeks, more than twice as many children 6-11 years of age taking Dupixent plus a topical corticosteroid (TCS) saw clear or almost clear skin (30% taking 300mg every 4 weeks plus TCS vs 13% on TCS only, 39% taking 200 mg every 2 weeks plus TCS vs 10% on TCS only). Also at 16 weeks, about 4.5 times as many children 6-11 years of age taking Dupixent plus a TCS had less itch than those on TCS only (54% taking 300 mg every 4 weeks plus TCS vs 12% on TCS only; 61% taking 200 mg every 2 weeks plus TCS vs 13% on TCS only).

"Dupixent has made a difference for Calla," says Jill. "She can play and swim comfortably and enjoy herself without being focused on her eczema symptoms as much."

Calla and Adante are sharing their stories in partnership with Sanofi and Regeneron as part of The Now Me: Beach Mode program. Hear more about how they activate their own "Beach Mode" moments at TheNowMe.com.

Visit Dupixent.com to learn more about Dupixent and access the full Prescribing Information.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION & INDICATION

Do not use if you are allergic to dupilumab or to any of the ingredients in DUPIXENT®.

Before using DUPIXENT, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the- counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you are taking oral, topical or inhaled corticosteroid medicines or if you have atopic dermatitis and asthma and use an asthma medicine. Do not change or stop your corticosteroid medicine or other asthma medicine without talking to your healthcare provider. This may cause other symptoms that were controlled by the corticosteroid medicine or other asthma medicine to come back.

DUPIXENT can cause serious side effects, including:

The most common side effects in patients with atopic dermatitis include injection site reactions, eye and eyelid inflammation, including redness, swelling, and itching, sometimes with blurred vision, cold sores in your mouth or on your lips, and high count of a certain white blood cell (eosinophilia).

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of DUPIXENT. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Use DUPIXENT exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. It's an injection given under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Your healthcare provider will decide if you or your caregiver can inject DUPIXENT. Do not try to prepare and inject DUPIXENT until you or your caregiver have been trained by your healthcare provider. In children 12 years of age and older, it's recommended DUPIXENT be administered by or under supervision of an adult. In children under 12 years of age, DUPIXENT should be given by a caregiver.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information including Patient Information.

INDICATION

DUPIXENT is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 6 months of age and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema) that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin (topical), or who cannot use topical therapies. DUPIXENT can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. It is not known if DUPIXENT is safe and effective in children with atopic dermatitis under 6 months of age.

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