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The availability of a range of new biological treatments targeting type-2 inflammation has provided new opportunities for patients with more severe asthma. Treatment has a bigger effect on exacerbations than day-to-day symptoms, and efficacy increases with increasing intensity of type-2 airway inflammation as reflected by the blood eosinophil count and fractional exhaled nitric oxide. The similarity of the clinical effects and target populations coupled with the absence of direct head-to-head comparative data makes it difficult to choose the right biologic for a given patient. In this review, we summarize the key efficacy data from phase 3 trials; discuss indirect comparisons; review clinical and laboratory variables that may be associated with a differential response to treatment; outline practical considerations that might be important to individual patients; and suggest an algorithm for choosing the most appropriate biologic to start with and the first choice to switch to.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.jaip.2021.12.014

Type

Journal article

Journal

The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice

Publication Date

24/12/2021

Addresses

Respiratory Medicine Unit and Oxford Respiratory NIHR BRC, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ian.pavord@ndm.ox.ac.uk.