Prime Highlights:
- Study finds tezepelumab can significantly reduce or eliminate the need for daily steroid pills in severe asthma patients.
- Researchers say the drug may help avoid long-term steroid-related risks like diabetes, infections, and bone damage.
Key Facts:
- In a 298-person, 11-country trial, half stopped steroid use entirely after one year of monthly injections.
- Another 40% reduced their steroid dose to minimal-risk levels, with side effects reported in 9% of participants.
Background
A new international study has found that a monthly antibody injection could offer people with severe asthma a safer alternative to daily steroid pills. Researchers say the treatment, called tezepelumab, may significantly reduce the long-term health risks linked to regular steroid use.
People with severe asthma often rely on oral steroids when inhalers fail to control symptoms. While these pills are effective at reducing airway inflammation, doctors warn that long-term use raises the risk of diabetes, infections and bone problems. Fan Chung from Imperial College London stated that the goal is to minimize patients’ reliance on oral steroids whenever possible.
Tezepelumab has already shown strong results in earlier trials, leading to its approval in several countries. However, researchers wanted to understand whether the drug could reduce or eliminate the need for steroid pills.
The new study, led by David Jackson at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, followed 298 adults aged 18 to 80 across 11 countries. All participants had severe asthma and were taking both daily inhalers and steroid tablets. They got tezepelumab injections every month for a year, while their doctors watched their progress and adjusted their steroid doses.
The results were encouraging. By the end of the year, about half of the participants no longer needed steroid pills, and another 40% were able to lower their dose to levels with minimal side effects. Jackson and his team say the findings strongly support using the injection as part of long-term asthma care.
Side effects, including worsening symptoms, were reported by 9% of participants, but experts note it is unclear whether these were caused by the injections or would have occurred naturally.
Researchers say the study offers hope for safer, more sustainable asthma treatment.
