
People with severe eosinophilic asthma who were treated with the drug depemokimab twice a year had a 54% reduction in exacerbations as well as an 82% and 83% decrease in eosinophils over 52 weeks. This is according to a study involving 732 patients presented at the 2024 European Respiratory Society International Congress in Vienna, Austria.
The study, “Twice-Yearly Depemokimab in Severe Asthma With an Eosinophilic Phenotype,” was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers from King’s College in London said the successful outcome is likely due to depemokimab’s enhanced binding affinity and potency for IL-5, a cytokine that plays a role in asthma and other allergic diseases. Depemokimab is an ultra, long-acting biologic therapy.
David J. Jackson, PhD, MSc, FRCP
The phase 3A, randomized, placebo-controlled replicate trials evaluated the efficacy and safety of depemokimab in patients with severe asthma and an eosinophilic phenotype characterized by a high eosinophil count. The study also accounted for a history of exacerbations with medium- or high-dose inhaled glucocorticoid use. Patients were randomly assigned to depemokimab (at a dose of 100 mg subcutaneously) or a placebo at weeks zero and 26, plus standard care.
The primary endpoint was the annualized rate of exacerbations at 52 weeks. Secondary endpoints, which were analyzed in a hierarchical manner to adjust for multiplicity, included the change from baseline in the score on the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), the forced expiratory volume in one second and asthma symptom reports at 52 weeks. The treatment and placebo groups had similar rates and types of adverse events, according to the study.
Researchers concluded that extended dosing intervals could also help tackle other barriers to optimal outcomes, including adherence or frequent health care appointments.