Mepolizumab for difficult-to-control asthma with persistent sputum eosinophilia

Abstract

Background: In asthma, anti-inflammatory therapy can usually reduce airway eosinophilic inflammation; but in certain subgroups this persists despite maximal therapy, and disease control is suboptimal. Mepolizumab is an anti IL-5. antibody that might reduce airway inflammation in such subgroups. Methods and results: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety data on mepolizumab in two studies performed in patients with refractory and corticosteroid-dependent asthma with persistent sputum eosinophilia. Mepolizumab given intravenously once a month was able to reduce sputum/blood eosinophilia and asthma exacerbations and to improve quality of life. Conclusions: Mepolizumab may be a promising anti-inflammatory therapy in asthma subgroups with heavy eosinophilic load in which conventional anti-inflammatory therapy is only partially effective.

Keywords::

• asthma
• eosinophilic airways inflammation
• IL-5
• mepolizumab