High local type-2 inflammation is linked to response in severe asthma treated with anti-Interleukin-5 receptor.

Asthma; Biotherapy; Remission; Sputum; benralizumab; Receptors, Interleukin-5; Biomarkers; Sputum/cytology; Adult; Eosinophils/metabolism; Biomarkers/metabolism; Remission Induction; Asthma/drug therapy; Asthma/physiopathology; Asthma/immunology; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use; Anti-Asthmatic Agents/therapeutic use; Receptors, Interleukin-5/antagonists & inhibitors; Eosinophils; Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Abstract :

[en] [en] BACKGROUND: Benralizumab is an anti-IL-5 receptor (IL-5R) therapy linked to a huge improvement of the condition of patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. The goal of this study was to identify baseline airway markers of remission and response after anti-IL5R therapy. METHODS: This observational study included 45 patients initiated with an anti-IL-5R. Remission was defined as: no oral corticosteroids intake, no exacerbation, a good asthma control (ACQ <1.5 and/or ACT >19) and a good lung function (FEV1 ≥ 80 % predicted and/or an improvement ≥10 %). Components of remission were also assessed individually to evaluate the response of patients. Sputum levels of mediators implicated in inflammation and remodeling were measured before treatment. RESULTS: Among the 45 patients, 12 were classified in remission. These patients were younger at baseline, had a lower smoking exposure, better asthma control and quality of life and a higher FeNO compared to the others. Moreover, baseline blood eosinophil counts were similar but sputum IL-6 and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in the non-remission group. Finally, patients who only improved their ACT or ACQ score had higher baseline FeNO values or sputum eosinophil percentage respectively. Those who increased their FEV1 ≥ 10 % presented a higher baseline sputum eosinophil percentage, sputum eotaxin-3 level and a trend for a higher sputum IL-5 level. CONCLUSION: High baseline airway T2 markers appeared to be associated with response to anti-IL-5R therapy. Lower sputum IL-6 and IL-8 levels were linked to remission. These results need to be validated in a bigger cohort.

Research Center/Unit :

GIGA I3-Pneumology - ULiège

Disciplines :

Immunology & infectious disease

Author, co-author :

Moermans, Catherine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Immunobiology - Pneumology

Decerf, Nicolas; Haute école de la Province de Liège (HEPL), 4000, Liège, Belgium

JAVAUX, Nicolas ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Laboratoire de thérapie cellulaire et génique (LTCG) ; Haute école Charlemagne, 4000, Liège, Belgium

ONSSELS, Adrien ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de pneumologie - allergologie

Bricmont, Noémie ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de pédiatrie

Bonhiver, Romane ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA

REGNIER, France ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de pneumologie - allergologie

Rosu, Adeline ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Pneumologie - Allergologie

Graff, Sophie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health (FARAH) > FARAH: Médecine vétérinaire comparée

Gerday, Sara ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Pneumologie - Allergologie

More authors (7 more)

Language :

English

Title :

High local type-2 inflammation is linked to response in severe asthma treated with anti-Interleukin-5 receptor.

Publication date :

July 2025

Journal title :

Respiratory Medicine

ISSN :

0954-6111

eISSN :

1532-3064

Publisher :

W.B. Saunders Ltd, England

Volume :

243

Pages :

108151

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0954611125002136?httpAccept=text/xml

Funders :

AstraZeneca

Funding text :

AstraZeneca provided funding support for this study but the authors are solely responsible for final content and interpretation.The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Florence Schleich reports financial support was provided by Astra Zeneca. Florence Schleich and Renaud Louis reports a relationship with GSK that includes: consulting or advisory, funding grants, and speaking and lecture fees. Florence Schleich and renaud Louis reports a relationship with Astra Zeneca that includes: consulting or advisory, funding grants, and speaking and lecture fees. Florence Schleich and Renaud Louis reports a relationship with Sanofi that includes: funding grants. Florence Schleich and Renaud Louis reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: funding grants and speaking and lecture fees. Florence Schleich and renaud Louis reports a relationship with Chiesi that includes: funding grants and speaking and lecture fees. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Available on ORBi :

since 18 December 2025

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