Lebrikizumab improves lung function in patients with uncontrolled asthma

LOS ANGELES — A single dose of lebrikizumab led to an improved FEV1 within 1 week in patients with uncontrolled asthma, according to recent study findings presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting.

“In patients with moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma with high serum periostin, a single dose of lebrikizumab led to a rapid, clinically meaningful increase in FEV1 within 1 week that was sustained to week 12,” Jonathan Corren, MD, of the Asthma and Allergy Research Foundation in Los Angeles, told Healio.com/Allergy.

Interleukin-13, the target of lebrikizumab, is a cytokine within type 2 asthma pathophysiology that lowers hyperresponsiveness, mucus production and remodeling, the researchers wrote.

To determine the effectiveness of lebrikizumab, the researchers performed an analysis of three trials that included 565 patients with uncontrolled asthma, 337 of whom received lebrikizumab every 4 weeks and 228 of whom received placebo. The researchers assessed the change in FEV1 at weeks 1 and 12, according to baseline serum periostin level, which was grouped into those with a level of at least 50 ng/mL and those with a level less than 50 ng/mL.

For patients with baseline serum levels of at least 50 ng/mL, the mean absolute increase in FEV1 at week 1 was 208 mL in the lebrikizumab group vs. 67 mL in the placebo group. At week 12 it was 292 mL in the lebrikizumab group vs. 94 in the placebo group.

Among patients with serum levels less than 50 ng/mL, researchers observed smaller week 1 and week 12 increases. At week 1 the increase was 143 mL in the treatment group vs. 67 mL in the placebo group and at week 12 it was 180 vs. 94.

“These data illustrate the efficacy of lebrikizumab on improving airway function in patients with moderate-to-severe type 2-mediated asthma,” Corren and colleagues wrote. – by Will Offit

Reference:

Corren J, et al. Abstract 40. Presented at: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting; March 4-7, 2016; Los Angeles.

Disclosure: Healio.com/Allergy could not confirm disclosures at the time of reporting.