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Reslizumab in Eosinophilic Asthma: A Review

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Abstract

Reslizumab (Cinqaero®; Cinqair®) is a humanized monoclonal antibody against interleukin-5 (IL-5), a cytokine mediator of eosinophilic airway inflammation. Reslizumab is indicated as an add-on treatment for severe eosinophilic asthma in adults, on the basis of data from the BREATH phase III clinical trial programme. In three double-blind BREATH studies of up to 52 weeks’ duration, adding intravenous reslizumab (3 mg/kg, once every 4 weeks) to the current asthma therapy of patients (aged 12–75 years) with eosinophilic asthma inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids resulted in significant reductions in clinical asthma exacerbation frequency and significant improvements in lung function, asthma control and health-related quality of life relative to adding placebo. Pooled data from the two trials of 52 weeks’ duration indicated similar benefits with reslizumab across various patient subgroups, including patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Reslizumab was generally well tolerated, with very few recipients experiencing severe or serious treatment-related adverse events. Moreover, in an open-label extension study, continued use of reslizumab for up to 2 years was associated with durable lung function benefit, without any new tolerability concerns. Thus, intravenous reslizumab extends the valuable add-on treatment options for adults with severe eosinophilic asthma inadequately controlled with standard therapies.

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Acknowledgements

During the peer review process, the manufacturer of reslizumab was offered the opportunity to review this article. Changes resulting from comments received were made on the basis of scientific and editorial merit.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, 0754, New Zealand

    Emma D. Deeks

  2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital and Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Guy Brusselle

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Respiratory Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Guy Brusselle

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  1. Emma D. Deeks
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Correspondence to Emma D. Deeks.

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Funding

The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

Conflict of interest

Emma Deeks is a salaried employee of Adis/Springer and declares no relevant conflicts of interest. Guy Brusselle has, within the last 5 years, received honoraria for lectures from AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Pfizer, Teva and Zambon; he is also a member of advisory boards for AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Sanofi.

Additional information

The manuscript was reviewed by: S. A. Antoniu, Department of Medicine II, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Pulmonary Disease University Hospital, Iasi, Romania; M. Cazzola, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; A. F. Gelb, Pulmonary Division, Department of Medicine, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Lakewood, CA, USA and David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA Medical Centre, Los Angeles, CA, USA; C. Incorvaia, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, ICP Hospital, Milan, Italy; D . M. Mannino, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.

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Deeks, E.D., Brusselle, G. Reslizumab in Eosinophilic Asthma: A Review. Drugs 77, 777–784 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-017-0740-2

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