Sustained remission induced by 2 years of treatment with benralizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma and nasal polyposis

Abstract

Background and objective: Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that benralizumab is characterized by a good profile of efficacy and safety, thereby being potentially able to elicit clinical remission on-treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). The main goal of this multicentre observational study was to verify the effectiveness of benralizumab in inducing a sustained remission on-treatment of SEA in patients with or without comorbid chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).

Methods: Throughout 2 years of treatment with benralizumab, a four-component evaluation of sustained remission of SEA was performed, including the assessment of SEA exacerbations, use of oral corticosteroids (OCSs), symptom control and lung function.

Results: The present study recruited 164 patients suffering from SEA. After 24 months of add-on biological therapy with benralizumab, 69 (42.1%) achieved the important target of sustained remission on-treatment (exacerbation rate = 0, OCS dose = 0, pre-bronchodilator FEV₁ ≥80% pred., ACT score ≥ 20). During the same period, a persistent improvement of CRSwNP (SNOT-22 < 30, NP recurrence = 0) was observed in 33 (40.2%) out of 82 subjects with concomitant NP. The latter comorbidity and post-bronchodilator reversibility of airflow limitation were two independent predictors of sustained remission on-treatment (OR = 2.32, p < 0.05 and OR = 5.59, p < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion: Taken together, the results of this real-life clinical investigation indicate that benralizumab can induce a sustained remission on-treatment of SEA, especially in those patients with comorbid CRSwNP and reversible airflow limitation.

Keywords: benralizumab; chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps; reversible airflow limitation; severe eosinophilic asthma; sustained remission.