A clinical trial in The Netherlands with the drug Benralizumab showed that this new asthma medication saves lives. Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that attacks eosinophils. They are special hyperreactive immune cells that circulate in the blood of asthmatics. In fact, researchers say that this new drug is the first break through for asthmatics in the past 50 years. In this case conventional medicine concentrated on bronchodilators (widening of the bronchial tubes) in combination with anti-inflammatory corticosteroids.
Clinical study
Formerly, doctors performed a clinical trial in the Netherlands between 2018 and 2020. Here is the publication. The results showed that there was a significant improvement between baseline and the 3-months mark. Researchers plan a larger clinical trial later between 2025 and 2027. Two disadvantages regarding this medication are present. The first is that this medication is that Benralizumab is administered by injection. The second disadvantage is that one year treatment costs between 25,000 and 30,000 USD. There is hope that future larger distribution of this drug will lead to lower treatment costs. The brand name for Benralizumab is Fasenra. Your doctor prescribes this medication. The dosage consists of three-monthly subcutaneous injections, then injections every two months.
The role of eosinophils in severe asthma
Physicians know for some time that severe asthma patients have circulating eosinophil cells in their blood. They secrete cytokines that cause constriction of bronchial tubes, which makes asthma worse. It is clear with this background that reducing circulating eosinophils improves the severity of an asthma attack. This is what the Dutch study found.
Standard therapy of asthma
Doctors treat asthma by prescribing inhalers that dilate the bronchial tubes. They have the name bronchodilators. One common bronchodilator is the Ventolin inhaler. However, often there is an inflammatory component in asthmatic patient. The lining of the bronchial tubes can thicken and make it difficult for the asthma patient to breathe. For this reason, physicians have prescribed a corticosteroid inhaler as well for the past 40 years, which normalizes the swelling of the lining of the bronchial tubes. With flare-ups of asthma often both of these treatment modalities did not improve the patient’s breathing pattern. In this case the doctor adds oral corticosteroids, but one of the side effects is significant weight gain. Now it turns out that Fasenra injections make a big difference as it interferes directly with the cytokine production of eosinophils. There is no weight gain and hardly any side effects.
New Asthma Medication Saves Lives
Conclusion
Dutch researchers investigated a new asthma medication in a clinical trial. Doctors order the drug Benralizumab (brand name: Fasenra), which is given by injection. It is a monoclonal antibody directed at a blood component with the name eosinophils. It helps stabilize severe asthma as cytokine production of eosinophils ceases. The result is a remarkable clinical improvement of severe asthma patients. The only problem with Benralizumab treatment is the horrendous cost. One year treatment costs between 25,000 and 30,000 USD. This treatment is the only new treatment for asthma in the last 50 years.
