Clinical characterisation of exacerbations of severe eosinophilic asthma occurring on mepolizumab and placebo

Mepolizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting IL-5, depletes circulating eosinophils and reduces exacerbations of severe eosinophilic asthma [1]. However, some people continue to exacerbate potentially due to different, less corticosteroid responsive mechanisms [2]. To characterise the changes in symptom and lung function seen in on-biologic exacerbations, we conducted a post-hoc comparison of diary card data from prednisolone-treated exacerbations occurring during treatment with mepolizumab or placebo in three placebo-controlled trials [1, 3, 4]. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: DJB and SWY are employees of GSK and hold stock/stock options in GSK. SWY has since retired. GH and RS have no relevant competing interests to disclose. Conflict of interest: IP reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi/Regeneron, Circassia, Merck, Novartis, Mundipharma, Teva, Knopp. Grants and personal fees from Chiesi, Afferent. LH reports personal fees or sponsorship from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, Novartis, Roche/Genentech, Sanofi, Amgen, Aerocrine, Napp. Grants from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK and Napp.