New Injection May Replace Daily Steroid Use for Asthma Patients
A recent clinical trial suggests that a monthly injection might enable individuals with severe asthma to discontinue daily steroid pills.
Asthma affects over 260 million people globally. While many manage their symptoms with inhalers, patients with more severe cases often rely on daily corticosteroid tablets.
However, long-term steroid use can lead to significant health issues, like osteoporosis, diabetes, and a higher risk of infections.
In this international trial, participants receiving injections of tezepelumab every four weeks were able to lower or completely stop their steroid intake without experiencing adverse effects.
Tezepelumab, developed by AstraZeneca, works by targeting a protein that contributes to airway inflammation.
The 2023 approval of this drug by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence offers a new maintenance treatment option for patients over 12 who struggle with their current asthma medications.
Led by King’s College London, the Wayfinder trial included nearly 300 adults with persistent, unmanageable asthma who were taking between 5mg and 40mg of steroid tablets daily.
Patients from 11 countries, including the UK, US, France, Germany, Mexico, and Spain, received tezepelumab monthly.
After a year of treatment, over half of the participants had completely stopped their steroid meds without any asthma exacerbations. Almost 90% managed to cut back to low doses, while a third stopped their steroid use after just six months.
Asthma symptoms include coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, and tightness in the chest, with 10% of sufferers experiencing severe forms of the disease, which can be life-threatening.
The results, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine and presented during the British Thoracic Society winter meeting, indicated that tezepelumab significantly alleviated asthma symptoms, improved lung function, and enhanced overall quality of life. Notably, two-thirds of the patients experienced no asthma attacks during the study.
Prof. David Jackson, the study’s lead author and an expert in respiratory medicine at King’s College London, remarked on the implications, saying: “Tezepelumab not only reduces allergy-related symptoms but also improves chronic rhinosinusitis, providing exciting potential for patients with severe asthma facing airway issues.”
Dr. Samantha Walker, director of research and innovation at Asthma + Lung UK, emphasized the significance of these findings, labeling them a promising advancement for asthma care that could greatly improve the lives of those affected by severe asthma.
She added, “Continued research into new treatment options is crucial, especially given the current funding challenges for lung health research, despite lung diseases being the third leading cause of death in the UK. Studies like these highlight the potential for impactful treatments.”
Prof. Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, also welcomed the news, stating that any new treatments that simplify symptom management would be beneficial. She noted, “The idea of a monthly injection could be easier for some patients to manage compared to daily tablets.”
Lastly, she cautioned that, like any emerging treatment, it’s important to thoroughly review the findings as clinical guidelines evolve to ensure safety and effectiveness for patients.
