A significant stride toward safer relief for individuals grappling with severe asthma has been achieved through a groundbreaking clinical trial. The trial focused on bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody treatment, and revealed its potential to drastically reduce the dependence on high-dose steroid treatments, which come with a host of risks.
With almost 300 million people worldwide affected by asthma, approximately 5 percent of them endure the challenges of severe asthma, leading to daily struggles for sufficient breath, chest tightness, coughing, panic, and frequent hospital visits.
Traditionally, patients with severe asthma have relied on inhaling high doses of steroids to manage the condition.
However, these high levels of steroids pose risks such as increased diabetes, fractures, cataracts, and suppression of the adrenal system. The value of high-dose steroids in treating severe asthma has also been a topic of debate.
In contrast, bevacizumab, the focus of the phase four clinical trial funded by AstraZeneca, operates in a targeted manner. Acting as a protein antibody, it specifically reduces the number of inflammation-causing immune cells called eosinophils, which are overproduced in severe asthma cases.
Results from the trial involving over 200 patients across Europe are highly promising. An astounding 92 percent of patients were able to safely reduce their use of inhaled steroids, with over 60 percent no longer requiring them at all.
Moreover, nearly 90 percent of patients in the group that reduced steroid use remained exacerbation-free by the end of the trial. The findings highlight the central role of eosinophils in exacerbation pathogenesis and symptom control.
It is crucial to note that these positive outcomes are specific to a particular type of asthma—severe eosinophilic asthma.
Patients responding well to benralizumab showcased meaningful reductions in inhaled steroid therapy while maintaining asthma control. However, patients with severe eosinophilic asthma not responding as effectively to benralizumab may still require intensive steroid treatments.
The Global Initiative for Asthma recommends lowering steroid doses in patients responding positively to immune therapies, aligning with the trial’s findings.
While these results are promising, researchers emphasize the need for further exploration and acknowledge that the outcomes may not be universally applicable to all similar treatments.
This groundbreaking research opens new possibilities for safer and more effective treatment strategies for severe asthma, offering hope to millions around the globe who grapple with this challenging respiratory condition.
