Benralizumab Effective for Uncontrolled Eosinophilic Asthma and Nasal Polyps

This article is part of Pulmonology Advisor‘s coverage of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, taking place in Orlando, Florida. Our staff will report on medical research related to asthma and other respiratory conditions, conducted by experts in the field. Check back regularly for more news from AAAAI/WAO 2018.

ORLANDO – Researchers found that the use of benralizumab enhanced clinical efficacy for patients with severe uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma and nasal polyps. The data were presented at the 2018 joint congress of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the World Allergy Organization, held March 2-5, 2018, in Orlando, Florida.

A post-hoc pooled analysis of phase 3 SIROCCO and CALIMA trials was conducted to determine the efficacy of benralizumab for individuals with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma and nasal polyps.

Participants included were aged ≥12 years and taking high-dose inhaled corticosteroids or a long-acting beta₂-agonist with baseline blood eosinophils ≥300 cells/mL.  They were randomly assigned to receive benralizumab 30 mg subcutaneously every 8 weeks (n=506) or placebo (n=515).

This analysis found that individuals with nasal polyps had greater mean blood eosinophil counts compared with individuals without nasal polyps. The baseline use of maintenance oral corticosteroids was higher in nasal polyp group. Use of benralizumab reduced exacerbation rates by 42% for all patients with asthma compared with patients who received placebo (rate ratio [RR] 0.58; 95% CI: 0.48-0.70, P <.0001).  Benralizumab use reduced exacerbations in participants with nasal polyps by 54% (RR 0.46; 95% CI: 0.31-0.69; P <.001) and by 38% (RR 0.62; CI 95%: 0.50-0.78, P <.001) in participants without nasal polyps.

Benralizumab also increased pre-bronchodilator FEV1 results by 0.128 L for all participants, by 0.272 L for participants with nasal polyps, and by 0.102 L for participants without comorbid nasal polyps.  Trends for asthma symptoms and quality-of-life measurements were similar.

“Benralizumab demonstrated enhanced clinical efficacy for patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma and [nasal polyps],” the researchers concluded.

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Reference

Maspero J, Harrison T, Werkström V, Wu Y, Gopalan G, Zangrilli J. Clinical efficacy of benralizumab in patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma and nasal polyposis: pooled analysis of the SIROCCO and CALIMA trials. Presented at: AAAAI/WAO Joint Congress 2018; March 2-5, 2018; Orlando, FL. Abstract 36.