Conditions: Asthma
Keywords: asthma Upper Respiratory Tract Infection exacerbation Interferon efficacy safety prevention
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 121
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
A study to investigate if inhaled Interferon beta-1a is safe and tolerated, and can prevent or reduce the severity of asthma attacks when administered to asthma patients at the onset of symptoms of common cold or influenza

Detailed description:
The study will consist of a Pre-Treatment Phase followed by a Treatment Phase. Patients are screened and enter the Pre-Treatment phase where they remain until they develop symptoms of a common cold or the flu. During this Pre-Treatment Phase patients will be asked daily if they think they have a common cold or the flu. When the patient answers yes to the question that he/she is coming down with a common cold or the flu, arrangements are made to evaluate the patient at the study site and, if eligible, enters the Treatment Phase. Baseline assessments are performed and the patient is randomized 1:1 to receive 24 μg (metered dose) inhaled Interferon beta-1a or placebo once daily for 14 days (delivered by the I-neb® device \[Philips Respironics\]). Treatment should start as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours after the onset of the first of the common cold or flu symptoms. Patients will be assessed with regards to exacerbations and changes in respiratory symptoms and reliever medication use at home using an ePRO device. Lung function will be measured both at home by the patients and at the study site. There will be five clinical visits during the Treatment Phase and two visits after the end of treatment; efficacy and safety will be monitored until 2-3 weeks after end of treatment when a final follow-up visit will take place.

The study population will comprise adult asthmatic patients on a maintenance treatment of medium to high dose inhaled corticosteroids and a second controller medication (eg, long- acting β2 agonist), with a documented history of at least two severe exacerbations within the last 24 months, of which at least one has occurred during the last 12 months, and it is suspected by the patient that these aforementioned exacerbations were triggered by an upper respiratory tract infection (ie, related to symptoms of a common cold or the flu).

Arms:
arm 1: Placebo, once daily inhalation for 14 days arm 2: Interferon beta-1a, 24 μg (metered dose) once daily inhalation for 14 days

Interventions: intervention 1: Interferon beta-1a Nebuliser solution 48 μg/mL intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Interferon beta-1a, 0,5 ml (24 μg, metered dose) once daily inhalation for 14 days intervention 2: Placebo solution for once daily inhalation for 14 days

Protocol document: