Benralizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma: A real-life data from Türkiye

Benralizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting IL-5α receptors, is approved for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA). Despite proven efficacy in randomized controlled trials, real-life data remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate effectiveness of benralizumab in real-life settings.

This multicenter, bi-directional, observational study was conducted on SEA patients receiving benralizumab. Clinical assessments including asthma control test (ACT) scores, pulmonary function tests, blood eosinophil counts, oral corticosteroid (OCS) usage, clinically significant exacerbations (CSE), Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) and the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT)-22 scores were recorded at baseline and at weeks 8, 24, and 52. The response to treatment was also evaluated at the end of 24th and 52 nd weeks.

A total of 76 SEA patients (53F/23M) with a mean age of 50.01 ± 13.98 years were enrolled. The ACT scores increased from 17 (5-25) to 24 (6-25) at week 8 and remained stable at weeks 24 and 52. The rate of CSEs decreased by 97.7 %, 94.5 %, and 87.5 % at weeks 8, 24, and 52, respectively. At week 24, 71 % of 65 patients and at week 52, 68 % of 25 patients were OCS-free. The mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) increased by 298 mL at week 8 and 365 mL at week 24, while forced expiratory flow (FEF25-75) improved by 146 mL and 273 mL, respectively. Blood eosinophil counts dropped to nearly zero at week 8 and remained suppressed through weeks 24 and 52. Improvements in AQLQ and SNOT-22 scores were also observed at weeks 8 and 24. The overall response rates were 89.3 % at week 24 and 78.2 % at week 52, with super-responders at 38.5 % and 39.1 %, respectively.

Benralizumab demonstrated significant clinical and functional improvements, including better asthma control, enhanced quality of life, improved lung function, and reductions in CSEs and OCS usage, supporting its real-life efficacy in SEA.