New Drug for Management of Severe Uncontrolled Asthma: Tezepelumab

Abstract

Tezepelumab is a first-in-class human IgG2λ monoclonal antibody used to treat severe, uncontrolled asthma. Tezepelumab acts by hindering the action of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an epithelial-derived cytokine that triggers an immunological response by binding to TSLP and thereby preventing its binding with the TSLP receptor complex. TSLP has a critical role in Th2 immunity and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma because it stimulates the production of Th2-associated inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-4, interleukin-5, interleukin-9, and interleukin-13. It is the first biologic with no phenotypic or biomarker restrictions that has been approved for use in severe asthma. Tezepelumab is indicated in severe, uncontrolled asthma patients due to its safety, tolerability, and efficacy. Adults with severe, uncontrolled asthma experienced considerably lower annualised asthma exacerbation rates (AAERs) when administered with tezepelumab compared to a placebo. These preliminary results indicated that the TSLP-induced release of T2 inflammatory mediators may be reduced, and the sustained inhibition was maintained over a 52-week treatment period. In this review, we have summarised various phase III clinical trials and the mechanism of action of tezepelumab in severe, uncontrolled asthma.