Project description:BackgroundPatients with severe, uncontrolled asthma experience debilitating symptoms that result in meaningful reductions to health-related quality of life. Benralizumab is an interleukin-5 receptor alpha-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody that reduces exacerbations and improves asthma symptoms for patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate improvements in daily asthma-related health status outcomes following treatment with benralizumab.MethodsPooled results from the SIROCCO (NCT01928771) and CALIMA (NCT01914757) Phase III studies were analyzed. Patients aged 12-75 years with severe, uncontrolled asthma, and blood eosinophil counts (BEC) ≥300 and ≥150 cells/µL were evaluated. Patients received subcutaneous benralizumab 30 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) or every 8 weeks (Q8W, first three doses Q4W) or placebo and completed a daily diary reporting rescue medication use, night-time awakening requiring rescue medication use, perceived tiredness, and asthma-related activity impairment. Outcome measures were compared across treatment arms from baseline to end of treatment (EOT) using a mixed-effect model for repeated measures analyses.ResultsPatients with BEC ≥300 cells/µL receiving benralizumab Q8W had greater improvements in all patient-reported outcomes at EOT relative to baseline than patients receiving placebo (all nominal P≤0.013). Effects were reported as early as 3 days following the initial dose and sustained throughout treatment for daily and night-time rescue medication use and night-time awakenings requiring rescue medication. For patients with BEC ≥300 and ≥150 cells/ µL, sustained improvements in activity impairment items (all nominal P<0.05) were achieved with benralizumab Q8W at week 2.ConclusionBenralizumab produces sustained reductions by as early as 3 days in rescue medication use and activity impairment for patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma.
Project description:BackgroundAvailability of clinically effective and cost-effective treatments for severe asthma would be beneficial to patients and national healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and healthcare expenditure after incorporating benralizumab into the standard treatment of refractory eosinophilic asthma.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional multicentre study of consecutive patients with refractory eosinophilic asthma who received treatment with benralizumab during at least 12 months. Patient follow-up was performed in specialised severe asthma units. The main effectiveness parameters measured were: the avoidance of one asthma exacerbation, a 3-point increase in the asthma control test (ACT) score, and the difference in utility scores (health-related quality of life) between a 1-year baseline treatment and 1-year benralizumab treatment. The health economic evaluation included direct costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).ResultsAfter 1 year of treatment with benralizumab, patients with refractory eosinophilic asthma showed an improvement in all the effectiveness parameters analysed: improvement of asthma control and lung function, and decrease in the number of exacerbations, oral corticosteroid (both as corticosteroid courses and maintenance therapy), and inhaled corticosteroid use. The total annual cost per patient for the baseline and benralizumab treatment periods were €11,544 and €14,043, respectively, reflecting an increase in costs due to the price of the biological agent but a decrease in costs for the remaining parameters. The ICER was €602 per avoided exacerbation and €983.86 for every 3-point increase in the ACT score.ConclusionsAll the pharmacoeconomic parameters analysed show that treatment with benralizumab is a cost-effective option as an add-on therapy in patients with refractory eosinophilic asthma.
Project description:We evaluated the relationship between benralizumab (30 mg every 4 and 8 weeks (Q4W, Q8W)) pharmacokinetic (PK) exposure and end points of asthma exacerbation rates (AERs) and change from baseline in prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 ) for patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma in the SIROCCO/CALIMA phase III trials. In empirical assessment, AER ratios in SIROCCO were similar across PK quartiles. However, the lowest PK quartile in CALIMA had reduced efficacy; low CALIMA placebo AER possibly confounded this result. In population modeling, estimated benralizumab 90% effective concentration for AER reduction was 927 ng/mL, below the Q8W dosage steady-state average PK concentration (1,066 ng/mL). Benralizumab treatment resulted in more rapid FEV1 improvement vs. placebo (estimated half-maximum time: 7.6 vs. 18 days); this response was greater for patients with greater baseline eosinophil counts. These results confirmed 30 mg Q8W is the optimal benralizumab dosage for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma.
Project description:BackgroundCompEx Asthma, a composite end-point for asthma exacerbations, captures clinically relevant, diary-based acute worsening events (AWEs) (defined as deterioration in daily peak expiratory flow concurrent with deterioration in asthma symptoms and/or rescue therapy use) and severe exacerbations (SevEx) (defined by American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society guidelines). We hypothesised that CompEx and SevEx would show similar benralizumab treatment effects and correlations to blood eosinophil counts in patients with severe asthma.MethodsThis post hoc analysis of pooled 12-month data from two phase 3 studies included patients aged ≥16 years with severe, uncontrolled asthma who were randomised to benralizumab 30 mg or placebo. Annualised event rates were analysed using a negative binomial model. The impact of blood eosinophil count on treatment effect was assessed.ResultsAmong patients with a blood eosinophil count ≥300 cells·µL-1 (n=913), benralizumab reduced the annualised event rate versus placebo for CompEx (1.57 versus 2.57; risk ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.53-0.70, p<0.001), SevEx (0.94 versus 1.55; risk ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.52-0.70, p<0.001) and AWE (0.92 versus 1.57; risk ratio 0.59, 95% CI 0.48-0.72, p<0.001), with greater treatment effects observed for higher blood eosinophil counts. In patients with blood eosinophil count ≥300 cells·µL-1, benralizumab was associated with shorter median event duration (CompEx: 10.5 days versus 17.0 days; SevEx: 10.0 days versus 15.0 days; AWE: 5.0 days versus 6.0 days).ConclusionsBenralizumab reduced the risk of CompEx events with treatment effects similar to those for SevEx and AWEs across a range of blood eosinophil counts. Use of CompEx supports the evaluation of benralizumab and other novel drugs in clinical studies.
Project description:PurposeIn the Phase III SIROCCO trial (NCT01928771), benralizumab significantly reduced asthma exacerbations and improved lung function and symptoms for patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma. The aim of this subgroup analysis was to evaluate efficacy and safety of benralizumab for Korean patients in SIROCCO.MethodsSIROCCO was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial of 1,204 patients aged 12-75 years with severe asthma uncontrolled by high-dosage inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting β₂-agonists (ICS/LABA). Patients received benralizumab 30 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) or every 8 weeks (Q8W; first 3 doses Q4W) or placebo Q4W for 48 weeks. The primary analysis population comprised patients with blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300 cells/μL. This subgroup analysis evaluated Korean patients from this group.ResultsOf 122 Korean patients randomized, 86 had blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300 cells/μL. Benralizumab reduced the annual asthma exacerbation rate by 70% (Q4W: rate estimate 0.79, rate ratio 0.30 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.13-0.65], nominal P = 0.003; n = 28) and 85% (Q8W: rate estimate 0.40, rate ratio 0.15 [95% CI, 0.06-0.36], nominal P < 0.001; n = 30) vs. placebo (rate estimate 2.67, n = 28). Prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second was increased with benralizumab treatment by 0.270 L (Q4W: 95% CI, 0.039-0.500, nominal P = 0.023; n = 28) and 0.362 L (Q8W: 95% CI, 0.143-0.582, nominal P = 0.002; n = 30) vs. placebo (n = 27). Total asthma symptom score was similar for patients receiving either benralizumab Q4W (-0.27 [95% CI, -0.83 to 0.30], nominal P = 0.356; n = 27) or benralizumab Q8W (0.10 [95% CI, -0.44 to 0.65], nominal P = 0.708; n = 30) vs. placebo (n = 28). Drug-related adverse events were experienced by 2%, 8%, and 5% of patients in the placebo, benralizumab Q4W, and benralizumab Q8W arms.ConclusionsBenralizumab reduced annual asthma exacerbation rates, increased lung function, and was well-tolerated by Korean patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma.
Project description:There are now multiple monoclonal antibodies targeting different inflammatory pathways of severe asthma. Benralizumab is a recently approved monoclonal antibody indicated for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma by targeting a subunit of the IL-5 receptor. Treatment with benralizumab results in significant reductions of blood and tissue eosinophils. Early studies report that this therapy has an adequate safety profile, and this was confirmed in later trials. Phase III studies have shown that benralizumab is effective in reducing the rate of exacerbations and improving asthma symptoms and quality of life in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Additionally, treatment with benralizumab has resulted in important reductions in the use of chronic oral corticosteroids. In this review, we evaluate the evidence up to date on the efficacy of benralizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma and explore the implications of this therapy in the ever-growing landscape of therapies for severe asthma.
Project description:The presence of eosinophilic inflammation is a characteristic feature of chronic and acute inflammation in asthma. An estimated 5%-10% of the 300 million people worldwide who suffer from asthma have a severe form. Patients with eosinophilic airway inflammation represent approximately 40%-60% of this severe asthmatic population. This form of asthma is often uncontrolled, marked by refractoriness to standard therapy, and shows persistent airway eosinophilia despite glucocorticoid therapy. This paper reviews personalized novel therapies, more specifically benralizumab, a humanized anti-IL-5Rα antibody, while also being the first to provide an algorithm for potential candidates who may benefit from anti-IL-5Rα therapy.
Project description:BackgroundBenralizumab, an anti-interleukin-5 (IL-5) receptor α monoclonal antibody, significantly reduces the number of annual exacerbations and oral corticosteroid (OCS) maintenance doses for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). However, few studies on the efficacy of this biologic in real life are available. The aim was to elucidate the efficacy of benralizumab by evaluating changes in clinical parameters after benralizumab treatment in patients with SEA.MethodsFrom July 2018 to December 2019, 24 Japanese patients with SEA received benralizumab at Jikei University Hospital. We retrospectively evaluated the patients' characteristics, parameters, numbers of exacerbations and maintenance OCS doses.ResultsAmong the 24 patients, eleven patients had received mepolizumab treatment and were directly switched to benralizumab. The peripheral blood eosinophil and basophil counts significantly decreased after benralizumab treatment regardless of previous mepolizumab treatment. Pulmonary function, Asthma Control Test scores, the numbers of annual exacerbations and maintenance OCS doses in patients without previous mepolizumab treatment tended to improve without significant differences. Fourteen patients (58%) were responders according to the Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness (GETE) score. The proportion of GETE responders among patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) tended to be lower than that among patients without AERD (p = 0.085). After benralizumab treatment, the change in the forced expiratory volume in 1 s from baseline was 200 ml or greater in eight patients (33%), including three patients who were switched from mepolizumab.ConclusionBenralizumab treatment improved and controlled asthma symptoms based on the GETE score.
Project description:PurposeTo characterize the clinical phenotypes of severe eosinophilic asthma based on early responsiveness to benralizumab in terms of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) improvement.Patients and methodsSixty-four participants diagnosed with severe eosinophilic asthma and who had completed 4 months of benralizumab treatment were included in this analysis. Pre-treatment clinical factors were compared between responders and non-responders according to improvements in ACT or FEV1. Correlations between the sums of increased Type 2-related inflammatory parameters and changes of ACT or FEV1 were also evaluated before and after the 4-month treatment. A two-step cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct phenotypes related to benralizumab responsiveness in terms of FEV1.ResultsAt the 4-month timepoint, all parameters, except for FeNO, were significantly improved after benralizumab treatment. FEV1 responders were associated with higher levels of Type 2-related inflammatory parameters. An improvement in FEV1 but not in ACT was clearly associated with increases in the sums of increased type 2-related inflammation parameters (p = 0.0001). The cluster analysis identified 5 distinct phenotypes of severe eosinophilic asthma according to the variable FEV1 responsiveness to benralizumab. The greatest response was found in the distinct phenotype of severe eosinophilic asthma, which was characterized by modest increase in total IgE and FeNO relative to blood eosinophils with least exposure to smoking.ConclusionThis study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first cluster analysis to report distinct phenotypes related to clinical benralizumab response in a real-world population with severe eosinophilic asthma. These results may help to predict responsiveness to benralizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma.
Project description:Background:Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, blocks the shared receptor component for interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, key drivers of type 2 inflammation. In the phase 3 LIBERTY ASTHMA QUEST trial (NCT02414854) in patients with uncontrolled, moderate-to-severe asthma, add-on dupilumab 200?mg or 300?mg every 2?weeks reduced exacerbations and improved forced expiratory volume in 1?s (FEV1) and quality of life over 52?weeks. This analysis evaluates dupilimab's effect on lung function in the overall population, and subgroups with baseline elevated type 2 inflammatory biomarkers. Methods:Patients were randomised to 52?weeks of subcutaneous dupilumab 200?mg every 2 weeks, 300?mg every 2 weeks, or matched-volume placebos. Lung function outcomes were analysed in the overall population, in patients with ?150?eosinophils·µL-1, ?300?eosinophils·µL-1, ?25?ppb fractional exhaled nitric oxide (F eNO), and both ?150?eosinophils·µL-1 and ?25?ppb F eNO, at baseline. Results:Dupilumab treatment (200?mg and 300?mg every 2?weeks) resulted in significant improvements versus placebo after 52?weeks in pre-bronchodilator FEV1 (0.20 and 0.13?L, respectively, versus placebo) and post-bronchodilator FEV1 (0.19 and 0.13?L, respectively), forced vital capacity (FVC) (0.20 and 0.14?L, respectively), forced expiratory flow (0.19 and 0.13?L·s-1, respectively) and pre-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio (1.75% and 1.61%, respectively) in the overall population (p<0.001). Difference versus placebo in post-bronchodilator FEV1 slope of change (weeks 4-52) was significant (0.04?L·year-1; p<0.05). Greater improvements were achieved in patients with elevated baseline blood eosinophil and/or F eNO levels for most outcomes. Conclusions:Dupilumab improves lung function outcomes, including large and small airway measurements and fixed airway obstruction, in patients with uncontrolled, moderate-to-severe asthma; particularly in patients with elevated biomarkers of type 2 inflammation.