“In this International, multicentre clinical trial of more than 300 patients, [the asthma treatment tezepelumab], a biologic therapy that targets asthma-related inflammation but without all the side effects of steroids, was capable of allowing the vast majority of patients to wean their steroids down to a low dose with over half able to stop their steroids altogether,” said study author, David Jackson, Professor of Respiratory Immunology at King's College London, in a press release.
“As tezepelumab also suppresses allergy related symptoms and improves chronic rhinosinusitis as well, the results are particularly exciting for patients with severe asthma who suffer with both upper and lower airway symptoms,” he added.
The researchers conducted a phase 3b trial involving 382 patients aged between 18 and 80 years old. They had severe, uncontrolled asthma, and were taking a maintenance dose of corticosteroids prednisone or prednisolone at 5-40 mg per day. A total of 298 participants received 210 mg of tezepelumab subcutaneously once every four weeks for up to a year.
After 52 weeks, the researchers found that almost 90% of participants had a maintenance corticosteroid dose of 5 mg per day or less, and that over 50% had completely stopped using the drugs while maintaining asthma control. The drug was generaly well-tolerated with a safety profile consistent with that found in previous studies. Serious adverse events were observed in just under 10% of participants, and included 13 cases of asthma and three cases of pneumonia.
“This is an incredibly encouraging development for the future of asthma care that could transform the lives of people with severe asthma. Studies like this show the positive impact that research can make on providing potentially life-changing treatment for people with asthma and other lung conditions,” said Dr Samantha Walker, Director of Research & Innovation at Asthma + Lung UK, not involved in the study, in a press release.
Sources: EurekAlert, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
