Benralizumab: a unique IL-5 inhibitor for severe asthma

Abstract

Laren D Tan,1 Jennifer M Bratt,2 Dorottya Godor,3 Samuel Louie,2 Nicholas J Kenyon2 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA; 2Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA; 3School of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary Abstract: The presence of eosinophilic inflammation is a characteristic feature of chronic and acute inflammation in asthma. An estimated 5%–10% of the 300 million people worldwide who suffer from asthma have a severe form. Patients with eosinophilic airway inflammation represent approximately 40%–60% of this severe asthmatic population. This form of asthma is often uncontrolled, marked by refractoriness to standard therapy, and shows persistent airway eosinophilia despite glucocorticoid therapy. This paper reviews personalized novel therapies, more specifically benralizumab, a humanized anti-IL-5Rα antibody, while also being the first to provide an algorithm for potential candidates who may benefit from anti-IL-5Rα therapy. Keywords: asthma, eosinophils, asthma treatments, benralizumab, IL-5, IL-5Rα, MEDI-563