Budesonide suspension for treating eosinophilic oesophagitis in children and adolescents

Budesonide suspension is currently in clinical development for treating eosinophilic oesophagitis in children and adolescents. Eosinophilic oesophagitis is inflammation of the oesophagus (the passage that leads from the mouth to the stomach), which causes symptoms such as dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and blockage of the oesophagus. It is caused by a large build-up of white blood cells called eosinophils in the lining of the oesophagus. The oesophagus transmits food from the mouth to the stomach, so the inflammation makes swallowing difficult as the oesophagus becomes narrower than usual leading to restrictions. Eosinophilic oesophagitis has been identified only since the early 1990s but is now considered the second most common oesophageal disease/dysphagia. There is currently an unmet need for appropriate treatment options for paediatric populations.