Current data on biologics: Evaluating clinical remission in asthma

The growing interest in clinical remission in asthma is due in large measure to the observation that many patients with severe asthma demonstrate substantial and durable improvements while receiving biologic therapy. Rates of clinical asthma remission in patients treated with a biologic have ranged from 19% to 43% in retrospective real-world studies and 13% to 35% in post hoc analyses of randomized controlled studies of biologics. Although these studies applied different remission criteria, almost all used a 4-component remission definition consisting of exacerbations, oral corticosteroid receipt, symptom control, and lung function parameters. Available evidence suggests that patients with a type 2 inflammatory endotype with less severe disease, shorter disease duration, and fewer comorbidities are more likely to experience remission. Little is currently known about asthma clinical remission in children and adolescents treated with a biologic. Prospective studies in patients of all ages are needed to refine the definition of clinical asthma remission and identify interventions and patient characteristics associated with remission. This article is part of a supplement supported by an educational grant from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. The content of this article was developed independently by National Jewish Health and the article authors.