Monoclonal antibodies in type 2 asthma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

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Abstract

Since novel treatments to target eosinophilic inflammation in Type 2 asthma are emerging, we aimed to evaluate and meta-analyze the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies to reduce exacerbation rate. PubMed and Web of Science were searched for phase II and phase III randomized clinical trials with monoclonal antibodies targeting key mediators of type 2-associated asthma. Thirty trials were selected involving biologics that target the IL-5 pathway, IL-13, the common IL-4 and IL-13 receptor, IL-9, IL-2 and TSLP. As no head-to-head trials were retrieved from literature, we performed an arm-based network meta-analysis to compare effects on exacerbation rate between the different treatments.

Mepolizumab, reslizumab and benralizumab significantly reduced the risk of exacerbations compared to placebo (by 47–52%, 50–60%, and 28–51% respectively). Reslizumab and benralizumab also improved lung function. Dupilumab and tezepelumab improved lung function in frequent exacerbators. Lebrikizumab had no significant effect on the number of exacerbations, symptom control or health-related quality of life. Tralokinumab improved lung function compared to placebo. Network meta-analysis of all treatment and placebo arms, showed no superiority of one biologic over the others. Large reductions in exacerbation rates were observed compared to placebo, though only benralizumab was sufficiently powered ( n = 2051) to demonstrate significantly decreased exacerbation rates in the subgroup analysis of IL-5 acting agents compared to placebo.

Monoclonal antibodies such as mepolizumab, reslizumab and benralizumab have proven their benefit to reduce exacerbation rates in severe persistent eosinophilic asthma in the published trials. However, no statistically significant superiority was observed of one biologic over the other in the network meta-analysis. More studies with direct head to head comparisons and better defined endotypes are required.

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Most cited references 46

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Mepolizumab for severe eosinophilic asthma (DREAM): a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Ian D Pavord, Stephanie Korn, Peter Howarth … (2012)

Some patients with severe asthma have recurrent asthma exacerbations associated with eosinophilic airway inflammation. Early studies suggest that inhibition of eosinophilic airway inflammation with mepolizumab-a monoclonal antibody against interleukin 5-is associated with a reduced risk of exacerbations. We aimed to establish efficacy, safety, and patient characteristics associated with the response to mepolizumab. We undertook a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at 81 centres in 13 countries between Nov 9, 2009, and Dec 5, 2011. Eligible patients were aged 12-74 years, had a history of recurrent severe asthma exacerbations, and had signs of eosinophilic inflammation. They were randomly assigned (in a 1:1:1:1 ratio) to receive one of three doses of intravenous mepolizumab (75 mg, 250 mg, or 750 mg) or matched placebo (100 mL 0·9% NaCl) with a central telephone-based system and computer-generated randomly permuted block schedule stratified by whether treatment with oral corticosteroids was required. Patients received 13 infusions at 4-week intervals. The primary outcome was the rate of clinically significant asthma exacerbations, which were defined as validated episodes of acute asthma requiring treatment with oral corticosteroids, admission, or a visit to an emergency department. Patients, clinicians, and data analysts were masked to treatment assignment. Analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01000506. 621 patients were randomised: 159 were assigned to placebo, 154 to 75 mg mepolizumab, 152 to 250 mg mepolizumab, and 156 to 750 mg mepolizumab. 776 exacerbations were deemed to be clinically significant. The rate of clinically significant exacerbations was 2·40 per patient per year in the placebo group, 1·24 in the 75 mg mepolizumab group (48% reduction, 95% CI 31-61%; p<0·0001), 1·46 in the 250 mg mepolizumab group (39% reduction, 19-54%; p=0·0005), and 1·15 in the 750 mg mepolizumab group (52% reduction, 36-64%; p<0·0001). Three patients died during the study, but the deaths were not deemed to be related to treatment. Mepolizumab is an effective and well tolerated treatment that reduces the risk of asthma exacerbations in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. GlaxoSmithKline. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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T-helper type 2-driven inflammation defines major subphenotypes of asthma.

Prescott G Woodruff, Barmak Modrek, David F Choy … (2009)

T-helper type 2 (Th2) inflammation, mediated by IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, is considered the central molecular mechanism underlying asthma, and Th2 cytokines are emerging therapeutic targets. However, clinical studies increasingly suggest that asthma is heterogeneous. To determine whether this clinical heterogeneity reflects heterogeneity in underlying molecular mechanisms related to Th2 inflammation. Using microarray and polymerase chain reaction analyses of airway epithelial brushings from 42 patients with mild-to-moderate asthma and 28 healthy control subjects, we classified subjects with asthma based on high or low expression of IL-13-inducible genes. We then validated this classification and investigated its clinical implications through analyses of cytokine expression in bronchial biopsies, markers of inflammation and remodeling, responsiveness to inhaled corticosteroids, and reproducibility on repeat examination. Gene expression analyses identified two evenly sized and distinct subgroups, "Th2-high" and "Th2-low" asthma (the latter indistinguishable from control subjects). These subgroups differed significantly in expression of IL-5 and IL-13 in bronchial biopsies and in airway hyperresponsiveness, serum IgE, blood and airway eosinophilia, subepithelial fibrosis, and airway mucin gene expression (all P < 0.03). The lung function improvements expected with inhaled corticosteroids were restricted to Th2-high asthma, and Th2 markers were reproducible on repeat evaluation. Asthma can be divided into at least two distinct molecular phenotypes defined by degree of Th2 inflammation. Th2 cytokines are likely to be a relevant therapeutic target in only a subset of patients with asthma. Furthermore, current models do not adequately explain non-Th2-driven asthma, which represents a significant proportion of patients and responds poorly to current therapies.

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Type 2 inflammation in asthma--present in most, absent in many.

John Fahy (2015)

Asthma is one of the most common chronic immunological diseases in humans, affecting people from childhood to old age. Progress in treating asthma has been relatively slow and treatment guidelines have mostly recommended empirical approaches on the basis of clinical measures of disease severity rather than on the basis of the underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis. An important molecular mechanism of asthma is type 2 inflammation, which occurs in many but not all patients. In this Opinion article, I explore the role of type 2 inflammation in asthma, including lessons learnt from clinical trials of inhibitors of type 2 inflammation. I consider how dichotomizing asthma according to levels of type 2 inflammation--into 'T helper 2 (TH2)-high' and 'TH2-low' subtypes (endotypes)--has shaped our thinking about the pathobiology of asthma and has generated new interest in understanding the mechanisms of disease that are independent of type 2 inflammation.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Lies Lahousse: +32 09 264 81 12 , lies.lahousse@ugent.be

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Respir Res

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Respir. Res

Title: Respiratory Research

Publisher: BioMed Central (London )

ISSN (Print): 1465-9921

ISSN (Electronic): 1465-993X

Publication date (Electronic): 8 August 2019

Publication date PMC-release: 8 August 2019

Publication date (Print): 2019

Volume: 20

Electronic Location Identifier: 179

Affiliations

[1 ]ISNI 0000 0001 2069 7798, GRID grid.5342.0, Department of Bioanalysis, Pharmaceutical Care Unit, , Ghent University, ; Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

[2 ]ISNI 0000 0004 0626 3303, GRID grid.410566.0, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Respiratory Medicine, , Ghent University Hospital, ; Ghent, Belgium

Article

Publisher ID: 1138

DOI: 10.1186/s12931-019-1138-3

PMC ID: 6688359

PubMed ID: 31395084

SO-VID: 1c30fb33-32b7-41de-87c6-a9913dff1528

License:

Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

History

Date received : 9 May 2019

Date accepted : 21 July 2019

Funding

Funded by: European Respiratory Society (CH)

Funded by: FundRef http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003130, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek;

Award ID: G0G2318N

Award Recipient : Guy Joos

Funded by: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (BE)

Award ID: G0G2318N

Award Recipient : Tania Maes

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Respiratory medicine

Keywords: asthma,monoclonal antibodies,exacerbations,network meta-analysis

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Respiratory medicine

Keywords: asthma, monoclonal antibodies, exacerbations, network meta-analysis

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Monoclonal antibodies in type 2 asthma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

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Inflamed lung in vitro co-culture models

Most cited references 46

Mepolizumab for severe eosinophilic asthma (DREAM): a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

T-helper type 2-driven inflammation defines major subphenotypes of asthma.

Type 2 inflammation in asthma--present in most, absent in many.

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Cited by 41

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