NCT04612556

Brief Summary

Interleukin (IL)-5 is the main cytokine responsible for the activation of eosinophils, hence therapeutic strategies have been investigated and developed for clinical use. Biologics targeting IL-5 and its receptor (first mepolizumab and subsequently, reslizumab and benralizumab), have been recently approved and used as add-on therapy for severe eosinophilic asthma resulting in a reduction in the circulating eosinophil count, improvement in lung function and exacerbation reduction in patients with severe asthma. Response to biologic therapies in severe asthma is variable, with patients being either non-responders, responders or super-responders. There is currently no explanation for this broad variation in response. It is important to examine whether these patients have distinct characteristics that could help the treating physician in making the correct diagnosis in clinical practice. Aim of this clinical study is to evaluate the efficacy of mepolizumab, a humanized IL-5 antagonist monoclonal antibody in patients with late-onset severe eosinophilic asthma with fixed obstruction and to identify the characteristics of non-responders and super-responders under mepolizumab treatment. This study is considered as non-interventional and every procedure included is happening in a clinical routine for the diagnosis and phenotyping of the asthmatic patients. Hypothesis includes the efficacy of mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction and relation to clinical and inflammatory biomarkers. Patients will be collected from the outpatient clinics of bronchial asthma from each site included (8 in number) which cover the whole population of Greece. Overall, this is a prospective multicenter study including eight Pulmonary Clinics. Five Pulmonary University Clinics, two of National Health System and one Army General Hospital in Thessaloniki. The study will include a screening period of up to 2 weeks to assess eligibility and obtain written informed consent, a mepolizumab treatment period of 52 weeks, once every 4 weeks, including follow up visits every 3 months during treatment. The study population will consist of 45 patients with late-onset severe eosinophilic asthma and fixed obstruction receiving mepolizumab, aged 20 and above.

Trial Health

55
Monitor

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
45

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for all trials

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2021

Longer than P75 for all trials

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
active not recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

September 18, 2020

Completed
2 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

November 3, 2020

Completed
3 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 22, 2021

Completed
2.1 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 15, 2023

Completed
2 years until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 15, 2025

Completed
Last Updated

February 21, 2024

Status Verified

February 1, 2024

Enrollment Period

2.1 years

First QC Date

September 18, 2020

Last Update Submit

February 20, 2024

Conditions

Keywords

severe eosinophilic asthma, late-onset, fixed obstruction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (14)

  • Change in exacerbation rate

    Mesurement of the change in exacerbation rate in each late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patient with fixed obstruction under mepolizumab treatment for 52 weeks of treatment.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1)

    The identification of clinical characteristics of non-responders and super-responders. FEV1 change from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to measurements every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. FEV1 is the maximal amount of air you can forcefully exhale in one second measured by spirometry.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in blood eosinophil levels.

    The identification of clinical characteristics of non-responders and super-responders. Change from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to measurements every 3 months until 1 year of treatment.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in FENO levels.

    The identification of clinical characteristics of non-responders and super-responders. Change from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to measurements every 3 months until 1 year of treatment.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in Asthma Control Questionnaire

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-5) to assess current asthma control. Scores range between 0 (totally controlled) and 6 (severely uncontrolled).

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in Asthma Control Test

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: Asthma Control Test (ACT) to assess current asthma control. The scores range from 5 (poor control of asthma) to 25 (complete control of asthma), with higher scores reflecting greater asthma control. An ACT score \>19 indicates well-controlled asthma.

    through study completion,156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ+12) to assess quality of life and psychological morbidity. Scores range 1-7, with higher scores indicating better quality of life.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in Athens Insomnia Scale

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) to assess sleeping quality. Total score range form 0 to 24 with higher scores indicating worst sleeping quality. AIS includes 8 questions with scores range from 0 (meaning that the item in question has not been a problem) to 3 (indicating more acute sleep difficulties).

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in Epworth Sleepiness Scale

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to assess sleeping quality. The total score can range from 0 to 24. Higher scores indicate increased sleepiness.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) to assess sleeping quality. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more limitations.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in WHO (Five) Well-Being Index

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: WHO (Five) Well-Being Index (WHO-5) to assess sleeping quality. The total raw score ranges from 0 to 25, is multiplied by 4 to give the final score, with 0 representing the worst imaginable well-being and 100 representing the best imaginable well-being.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Identification of clinical characteristics of response, change in Fatigue Severity Scale

    Identification of any improvement in patients' quality of life during mepolizumab treatment in late-onset severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients with fixed obstruction, from baseline, before treatment initiation, compared to every 3 months until 1 year of treatment. Questionnaire included: Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) to assess sleeping quality. FSS includes a 9-item questionnaire with questions scored on a 7 point scale with 1 meaning strongly disagree and 7 meaning strongly agree. Scores range from 9 to 63. Higher the score indicates greater fatigue severity.

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Change in smooth muscle cell mass

    The identification of clinical characteristics of non-responders and super-responders

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Change in Basement Membrane Thickness

    The identification of clinical characteristics of non-responders and super-responders

    through study completion, 156 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Change in smooth muscle cell mass

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Change of T-lympocytes percentages

    through study completion, 156 weeks

  • Change of cytokine and protein levels

    through study completion, 156 weeks

Study Arms (1)

late-onset severe eosinophilic asthma and fixed obstruction

Patients with late-onset severe eosinophilic asthma and fixed obstruction will be administered Mepolizumab (100 MG), subcutaneusly every 30 days

Drug: Mepolizumab 100 MG [Nucala]

Interventions

subcutaneous injection once a month

Also known as: biological/vaccine
late-onset severe eosinophilic asthma and fixed obstruction

Eligibility Criteria

Age20 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
Sampling MethodNon-Probability Sample
Study Population

The study population will consist of 45 patients with late-onset severe eosinophilic asthma and fixed obstruction receiving mepolizumab aged 20 and above.

You may qualify if:

  • Written informed consent must be obtained at screening visit, before any assessment will be performed. Subjects should be able to provide informed written consent (study participation informed consent form): Able to give written informed consent prior to participation in the study, which will include the ability to comply with the requirements and restrictions listed in the consent form. Subjects must be able to read, comprehend, and write at a level sufficient to complete study related materials.
  • Confirmed asthma diagnosis and severity and treatment requirements.
  • Fixed airway obstruction (FAO) where post-bronchodilator treatment ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second \[FEV1\] to forced vital capacity \[FVC\] is below \< 70%.
  • Confirmed optimized management skills (inhaler technique, education, adherence)
  • Triggers and relevant co-morbidity have been assessed and managed Triggers such as smoking, beta-blockers, aspirin/NSAIDs, allergen exposure; Comorbidities such as rhinitis, obesity, GERD, OSA, VCD, depression/anxiety.
  • Severe asthmatics with blood eosinophils ≥150cells/ul at screening visit or ≥300cells/ul the last 12 months.
  • Patients with late-onset severe according to ERS/ATS guidelines eosinophilic asthma and fixed obstruction under the treatment of high dose of ICS+LABA±LAMA (late-onset asthma determined as age at diagnosis from 20 years and above)
  • Patients with late-onset severe eosinophilic asthma with history ≥ 1 exacerbation the previous year under the treatment of high dose of ICS+LABA±LAMA.
  • Asthma Exacerbation: Subjects with an ongoing asthma exacerbation should have their screening and treatment initiation visit delayed until the investigator considers the subject has returned to their baseline asthma status. If the 4-week screening period has elapsed then the subject should be considered a screening failure. An exacerbation is defined as worsening of asthma requiring the use of systemic corticosteroids and/or emergency department visit, or hospitalization. For subjects on maintenance oral corticosteroids, an exacerbation requiring oral corticosteroids was defined as the use of oral/systemic corticosteroids at least double the existing dose for at least 3 days.
  • Maintenance Asthma Therapy: No changes in the dose or regimen of baseline ICS and/or additional controller medication during the screening period (except for treatment of an exacerbation).
  • Meet requirements for biologic therapy with mepolizumab.

You may not qualify if:

  • Asthma exacerbation, within 6 weeks prior to screening that required hospitalization or emergency room visit.
  • Prior use of other biologics (including but not limited to Omalizumab, Reslizumab, Dupilumab, Benralizumab etc., for asthma or any other indications) that has potential to interfere/ affect disease progression, in the previous 6 months.
  • Pregnant or nursing women, or women of child-bearing potential.
  • History of malignancy of any organ system or any other serious co-morbidities defined by the treating physician.
  • Patients with a history of conditions other than asthma that could result in elevated eosinophils (e.g. hypereosinophilic syndromes, Churg-Strauss Syndrome, eosinophilic esophagitis).

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Pulmonary Clinic of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, George Papanikolaou Hospital

Thessaloniki, Exochi, 57010, Greece

Location

Related Publications (18)

  • Goldstein RA, Rohatgi PK, Bergofsky EH, Block ER, Daniele RP, Dantzker DR, Davis GS, Hunninghake GW, King TE Jr, Metzger WJ, et al. Clinical role of bronchoalveolar lavage in adults with pulmonary disease. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Aug;142(2):481-6. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/142.2.481.

    PMID: 2200319BACKGROUND
  • Carr TF, Zeki AA, Kraft M. Eosinophilic and Noneosinophilic Asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018 Jan 1;197(1):22-37. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201611-2232PP. No abstract available.

    PMID: 28910134BACKGROUND
  • Efthimiadis A, Spanevello A, Hamid Q, Kelly MM, Linden M, Louis R, Pizzichini MM, Pizzichini E, Ronchi C, Van Overvel F, Djukanovic R. Methods of sputum processing for cell counts, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridisation. Eur Respir J Suppl. 2002 Sep;37:19s-23s. doi: 10.1183/09031936.02.00001902. No abstract available.

    PMID: 12361358BACKGROUND
  • Bara I, Ozier A, Tunon de Lara JM, Marthan R, Berger P. Pathophysiology of bronchial smooth muscle remodelling in asthma. Eur Respir J. 2010 Nov;36(5):1174-84. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00019810.

    PMID: 21037369BACKGROUND
  • Rasmussen F, Taylor DR, Flannery EM, Cowan JO, Greene JM, Herbison GP, Sears MR. Risk factors for airway remodeling in asthma manifested by a low postbronchodilator FEV1/vital capacity ratio: a longitudinal population study from childhood to adulthood. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002 Jun 1;165(11):1480-8. doi: 10.1164/rccm.2108009.

    PMID: 12045120BACKGROUND
  • Fitzpatrick AM, Moore WC. Severe Asthma Phenotypes - How Should They Guide Evaluation and Treatment? J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2017 Jul-Aug;5(4):901-908. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2017.05.015.

    PMID: 28689840BACKGROUND
  • Maneechotesuwan K. Role of microRNA in severe asthma. Respir Investig. 2019 Jan;57(1):9-19. doi: 10.1016/j.resinv.2018.10.005. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

    PMID: 30455067BACKGROUND
  • Yancey SW, Keene ON, Albers FC, Ortega H, Bates S, Bleecker ER, Pavord I. Biomarkers for severe eosinophilic asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017 Dec;140(6):1509-1518. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.10.005.

    PMID: 29221581BACKGROUND
  • Albers FC, Papi A, Taille C, Bratton DJ, Bradford ES, Yancey SW, Kwon N. Mepolizumab reduces exacerbations in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, irrespective of body weight/body mass index: meta-analysis of MENSA and MUSCA. Respir Res. 2019 Jul 30;20(1):169. doi: 10.1186/s12931-019-1134-7.

  • Bennett GH, Carpenter L, Hao W, Song P, Steinberg J, Baptist AP. Risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with fixed airflow obstruction in older adults with asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2018 Feb;120(2):164-168.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2017.10.004. Epub 2017 Dec 28.

  • Eschenbacher WL. Defining Airflow Obstruction. Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis. 2016;3(2):515-518. doi: 10.15326/jcopdf.3.2.2015.0166.

  • Galant SP, Komarow HD, Shin HW, Siddiqui S, Lipworth BJ. The case for impulse oscillometry in the management of asthma in children and adults. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017 Jun;118(6):664-671. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2017.04.009.

  • Postma DS, Brightling C, Baldi S, Van den Berge M, Fabbri LM, Gagnatelli A, Papi A, Van der Molen T, Rabe KF, Siddiqui S, Singh D, Nicolini G, Kraft M; ATLANTIS study group. Exploring the relevance and extent of small airways dysfunction in asthma (ATLANTIS): baseline data from a prospective cohort study. Lancet Respir Med. 2019 May;7(5):402-416. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30049-9. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

  • Kuo CW, Liao XM, Huang YC, Chang HY, Shieh CC. Bronchoscopy-guided bronchial epithelium sampling as a tool for selecting the optimal biologic treatment in a patient with severe asthma: a case report. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2019 Nov 27;15:76. doi: 10.1186/s13223-019-0378-6. eCollection 2019.

  • Parulekar AD, Diamant Z, Hanania NA. Role of biologics targeting type 2 airway inflammation in asthma: what have we learned so far? Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2017 Jan;23(1):3-11. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000343.

  • Li Y, Wang W, Lv Z, Li Y, Chen Y, Huang K, Corrigan CJ, Ying S. Elevated Expression of IL-33 and TSLP in the Airways of Human Asthmatics In Vivo: A Potential Biomarker of Severe Refractory Disease. J Immunol. 2018 Apr 1;200(7):2253-2262. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701455. Epub 2018 Feb 16.

  • Liu S, Verma M, Michalec L, Liu W, Sripada A, Rollins D, Good J, Ito Y, Chu H, Gorska MM, Martin RJ, Alam R. Steroid resistance of airway type 2 innate lymphoid cells from patients with severe asthma: The role of thymic stromal lymphopoietin. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018 Jan;141(1):257-268.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.03.032. Epub 2017 Apr 20.

  • Specjalski K, Niedoszytko M. MicroRNAs: future biomarkers and targets of therapy in asthma? Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2020 May;26(3):285-292. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000673.

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITHOUT DNA

peripheral blood, bronchial washing, sputum and sputum supernatant)

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pulmonary EosinophiliaAsthma

Interventions

mepolizumabBiological ProductsVaccines

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Lung DiseasesRespiratory Tract DiseasesHypereosinophilic SyndromeEosinophiliaLeukocyte DisordersHematologic DiseasesHemic and Lymphatic DiseasesBronchial DiseasesLung Diseases, ObstructiveRespiratory HypersensitivityHypersensitivity, ImmediateHypersensitivityImmune System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Complex Mixtures

Study Officials

  • Konstantinos Porpodis, Assist Prof

    Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
observational
Observational Model
COHORT
Time Perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Assistant Professor of Pulmonology

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

September 18, 2020

First Posted

November 3, 2020

Study Start

January 22, 2021

Primary Completion

March 15, 2023

Study Completion

March 15, 2025

Last Updated

February 21, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

The results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. A reference of the published article will be shared here.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, CSR
Time Frame
Starting 9 months after publication and ending 36 months following article publication.
Access Criteria
Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices). Investigators whose proposed use of the data has been approved by an independent review committee ("learned intermediary") identified for this purpose. For individual participant data meta-analysis, data will be shared. Proposals may be submitted up to 36 months following article publication. After 36 months the data will be available in our University's data warehouse but without investigator support other than deposited metadata. Information regarding submitting proposals and accessing data may be found at (Link to be provided).

Locations