Major Breakthrough for Severe Asthma Treatment

A landmark study has shown that severe asthma can be controlled using biologic therapies, without the addition of regular high-dose inhaled steroids which can have significant side effects.

The findings from the multinational SHAMAL study, published in The Lancet, demonstrated that 92 percent of patients using the biologic therapy benralizumab could safely reduce inhaled steroid dose and more than 60% could stop all use.

The study’s results could be transformative for severe asthma patients by minimizing or eliminating the unpleasant, and often serious, side effects of inhaled steroids. These include osteoporosis which leads to increased risk of fractures, diabetes and cataracts.

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases worldwide – affecting almost 300 million people – and around 3 to 5 percent of these have severe asthma. Asthma affects people of all ages. It is caused by inflammation and muscle tightening around the airways, which makes it harder to breathe.

Symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. These symptoms can be mild or severe and can come and go over time. Repeated asthma attacks require frequent hospitalization.

Biological therapies have “revolutionized severe asthma care”

The SHAMAL study was led by Professor David Jackson, head of the Severe Asthma Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at King’s College London.

Professor Jackson said: “Biological therapies such as benralizumab have revolutionized severe asthma care in many ways, and the results of this study show for the first time that steroid-related harm can be avoided for the majority of patients using this therapy.”

Benralizumab is a biologic therapy that reduces the number of inflammatory cells called eosinophil. This is produced in abnormal numbers in the airway of patients with severe asthma and is critically involved in the development of asthma attacks. Benralizumab is injected every four to eight weeks and is available in specialist asthma centers.

The SHAMAL study took place across 22 sites in four countries – the UK, France, Italy and Germany.

The 208 patients were randomly assigned to taper their high-dose inhaled steroid by varying amounts over 32 weeks, followed by a 16-week maintenance period. Approximately 90 percent of patients experienced no worsening of asthma symptoms and remained free of any exacerbations throughout the 48-week study.

Similar studies to SHAMAL will be necessary before firm recommendations can be made regarding the safety and efficacy of reducing or eliminating high-dose steroid use with other biologic therapies.

The study was funded by AstaZeneca and carried out by researchers at renowned universities including Queens University Belfast, Université Paris-Saclay and Trinity College Dublin.