Tezepelumab Can Help Reduce Oral Corticosteroid Use in Severe Uncontrolled Asthma

THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For adults with oral corticosteroid (OCS)-dependent severe uncontrolled asthma, tezepelumab can help to reduce OCS use, according to a study published online Nov. 26 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

David J. Jackson, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., from King”s College London, and colleagues examined the ability of tezepelumab to reduce or discontinue OCS use in a cohort of patients with OCS-dependent severe uncontrolled asthma. Adults aged 18 to 80 years receiving a maintenance OCS dose of 5 to 40 mg/day (or equivalent) of prednisone or prednisolone were recruited from 68 clinical centers across 11 countries. Participants received tezepelumab 210 mg subcutaneously every four weeks for up to 52 weeks; the efficacy and safety analysis included 298 participants.

The researchers found that the proportion of participants who had a maintenance OCS dose of 5 mg/day or less without loss of asthma control was 88.9 and 89.9 percent at weeks 28 and 52, respectively. Overall, 32.2 and 50.3 percent of participants discontinued OCS without loss of asthma control at weeks 28 and 52, respectively. Across prespecified subgroups based on baseline blood eosinophil counts, fractional exhaled nitric oxide level, or allergy status, OCS reduction and discontinuation were achieved. Serious adverse events occurred in 9.4 percent of participants, and 1.3 percent had adverse events leading to tezepelumab discontinuation.

“Tezepelumab can enable patients with OCS-dependent severe, uncontrolled asthma to effectively reduce their OCS use and its associated burden, with potential for broad applicability across patient phenotypes,” the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry, including AstraZeneca and Amgen, which funded the study.

Abstract/Full Text

Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)