Real World Biologic Use and Switch Patterns in Severe Asthma: Data from the International Severe Asthma Registry and the US CHRONICLE Study

Andrew N. Menzies-Gow, Claire McBrien, Bindhu Unni, Celeste M. Porsbjerg, Mona Al-Ahmad, Christopher S. Ambrose, Karin Dahl Assing, Anna von Bülow, John Busby, Borja G. Cosio, J. Mark Fitzgerald, Esther Garcia Gil, Susanne Hansen, Liam G. Aheaney, Mark Hew, David J. Jackson, Maria Kallieri, Stelios Loukides, Njira L. Lugogo, Andriana I. PapaioannouDésirée Larenas-Linnemann, Wendy C. Moore, Luis A. Perez-De-llano, Linda M. Rasmussen, Johannes M. Schmid, Salman Siddiqui, Marianna Alacqua, Trung N. Tran, Charlotte Suppli Ulrik, John W. Upham, Eileen Wang, Lakmini Bulathsinhala, Victoria A. Carter, Isha Chaudhry, Neva Eleangovan, Ruth B. Murray, Chris A. Price, David B. Price*

*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Introduction: International registries provide opportunities to describe use of biologics for treating severe asthma in current clinical practice. Our aims were to describe real-life global patterns of biologic use (continuation, switches, and discontinuations) for severe asthma, elucidate reasons underlying these patterns, and examine associated patient-level factors. Methods: This was a historical cohort study including adults with severe asthma enrolled into the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR; http://isaregistries.org, 2015–2020) or the CHRONICLE Study (2018–2020) and treated with a biologic. Eleven countries were included (Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, South Korea, Spain, UK, and USA). Biologic utilization patterns were defined: 1) continuing initial biologic; 2) stopping biologic treatment; or 3) switching to another biologic. Reasons for discontinuation/ switching were recorded and comparisons drawn between groups. Results: A total of 3531 patients were included. Omalizumab was the most common initial biologic in 2015 (88.2%) and benralizumab in 2019 (29.6%). Most patients (79%; 2791/3531) continued their first biologic; 10.2% (356/3531) stopped; 10.8% (384/3531) switched. The most frequent first switch was from omalizumab to an anti–IL-5/5R (49.6%; 187/377). The most common subsequent switch was from one anti–IL-5/5R to another (44.4%; 20/45). Insufficient efficacy and/or adverse effects were the most frequent reasons for stopping/switching. Patients who stopped/switched were more likely to have a higher baseline blood eosinophil count and exacerbation rate, lower lung function, and greater health care resource utilization. Conclusion: The description of real-life patterns of continuing, stopping, or switching biologics enhances our understanding of global biologic use. Prospective studies involving structured switching criteria could ascertain optimal strategies to identify patients who may benefit from switching.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Asthma and Allergy
Volume15
Pages (from-to)63-78
Number of pages16
ISSN1178-6965
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Menzies-Gow et al.

Keywords

  • Biologics
  • Cohort study
  • International
  • Management
  • Prescribing
  • Severe asthma

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