Effects of Mepolizumab Compared to Placebo on Airway Physiology in Patients With Eosinophilic Asthma: MEMORY Study

The purpose of the MEMORY trial is to compare the effects of mepolizumab with Placebo on airway physiology in patients with eosinophilic asthma

Asthma with eosinophilic inflammation in the airways and/or blood eosinophilia is associated with clinical severity including the risk of exacerbations and relevant comorbidities (e.g. nasal polyposis). Interleukin-5 (IL-5) is a cytokine essential for eosinophil trafficking and survival. Clinical trials of blocking IL-5 with anti-IL-5 antibodies (mepolizumab and reslizumab) in patients with uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma resulted in an improvement in exacerbation rate and oral corticosteroid use. In some studies with mepolizumab and reslizumab there was a beneficial effect on lung function (FEV1). In addition, many patients described a profound impact on asthma symptoms and quality of life in personal reports which is not uniformly reflected in clinical trials.

The MEMORY trial is the first to primarily evaluate the effect of mepolizumab treatment on pulmonary function in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Importantly, using spirometry and bodyplethysmography will allow to evaluate additional parameters beyond FEV1 that more closely mirror the pathophysiological changes and functional aspects of airflow limitation in asthma in real life, e.g. airway resistance, hyperinflation and diffusion capacity. The proposed trial will answer the important questions: if, and if so, which parameters of airway (patho-) physiology as assessed by bodyplethysmography best reflect clinical response to mepolizumab therapy in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. In addition, the time course to clinical response will be assessed. Equally important, there is only a loose correlation between FEV1 and parameters of asthma control and asthma-related quality of life. This is why another new and important aspect of this trial is to carefully monitor asthma control and asthma quality in life in correlation with lung function changes beyond FEV1. Finally, it is tempting to speculate that the proposed trial will contribute to the question how to best define clinical response to mepolizumab.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients must be 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.
2. Male or female patients at least 18 years
3. Physician-diagnosis of asthma and evidence of asthma as documented by either reversibility of airflow obstruction (FEV1 ≥ 12% or 200 ml) demonstrated at visit 1 or visit 2 .
4. ICS dose must be ≥ 1000 μg/day BDP or equivalent daily with or without maintenance oral corticosteroids.
5. Treatment in the past 12 months with an additional controller medication for at least 3 successive months, e.g., long-acting beta-2-agonist (LABA), leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA), or theophylline.
6. Persistent airflow obstruction as indicated by a pre-bronchodilator FEV1 \< 80% predicted recorded at Visit 1 or \< 90% for patients on oral corticosteroids.
7. An elevated peripheral blood eosinophil level of ≥ 300/µL that is related to asthma or ≥ 150/µL in patients treated with oral corticosteroids as maintenance therapy demonstrated at visit 1 or in the previous 12 months
8. Confirmed history of two or more exacerbations requiring treatment with systemic corticosteroids (intramuscular, intravenous, or oral), in the 12 months prior to visit 1, despite the use of high-dose inhaled corticosteroids. For patients receiving maintenance corticosteroids, the corticosteroid treatment for the exacerbations must have been a two-fold increase or greater in the dose.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Current smokers or former smokers with a smoking history of ≥ 10 pack years (number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked). Patients who have not smoked for ≥ 6 months before visit 1 and have \< 10 pack years can be included into the study.
2. Presence of a clinically important lung condition other than asthma. This includes current infection, bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis, bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, or diagnoses of emphysema or chronic bronchitis (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease other than asthma) or a history of lung cancer.
3. Patients who have received omalizumab \[Xolair\] within 130 days of Visit 1.
4. Patients who have received any biological to treat inflammatory disease within 5 half-lives of visit 1