Impact of reslizumab on outcomes of severe asthmatic patients: current perspectives

Abstract

Approximately 5%–10% of asthmatics suffer from severe asthma. New biological treatments represent a great opportunity to reduce asthma burden and to improve asthma patients’ lives. Reslizumab will soon be available in several European countries. This anti-IL-5 IgG4/κ monoclonal antibody, administered intravenously at a dose of 3 mg/kg over 20–50 minutes every 4 weeks, has been shown to be safe and effective in patients with 400 eosinophils/μL or more in their peripheral blood. The clinical effects in reducing asthma exacerbations and in improving the quality of life and lung function are clear, but further research is needed to determine the best biological compound for a specific cluster of patients. Research data have shown that in patients who were expressing other clinical features of eosinophilic inflammation over asthma (rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis), the clinical benefit of reslizumab was greater. Furthermore, it has also been observed that in patients with unsatisfactory response to mepolizumab, reslizumab is able to significantly improve the clinical and biological parameters. The aim of personalized medicine is to provide the right drug to the right patient at the right dose at the right moment. The biological treatments that were developed to modify specific pathological pathways not only provide us with the tools for the management of asthma patients but also clarify the biological mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis.

Immunopharmacology in Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: Current and Future Perspectives

“…Studies have indicated similar efficacy of this drug in decreasing eosinophil levels in associated asthmatic conditions when administered through intravenous routes, which is also dose-dependent. In both drugs, an increase in serum IL-5 levels following treatment was observed, requiring further study on its long-term efficacy [ 210 , 211 , 212 , 213 ]. In contrast to the aforementioned drugs, benralizumab is an IgG1-type monoclonal antibody against IL-5Rα.…”

Effects of biological therapies on patients with Type-2 high asthma and comorbid obesity

“…The standard dose is 100 mg, administered every 4 weeks subcutaneously ( Nucala, 2023 ). Reslizumab (Cinqair ® ) is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody (IgG4) that, like mepolizumab, targets IL-5 to prevent its binding with IL-5Rα ( Padilla Galo et al, 2018 ; Cinqair, 2023 ). Reslizumab was approved by the FDA in 2016 as a treatment for patients (≥18 years of age) with severe eosinophilic asthma uncontrolled despite maximum doses of ICS and additional controllers ( Padilla Galo et al, 2018 ; Cinqair, 2023 ).…”

Interpretation of Clinical Efficacy of Biologics in Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps via Understanding the Local and Systemic Pathomechanisms

“…Monoclonal antibodies consist of IgG isotypes: IgG1 (omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab), IgG2, and IgG4 (dupilumab, reslizumab). 16 17 18 19 20 They are characterized by long half-lives and slow clearance, 21 requiring less frequent dosing than is needed for small molecules with shorter half-lives. Pharmacokinetically, monoclonal antibodies show a rapid distribution phase, followed by a slow elimination phase.…”