Mepolizumab Reduces Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Flares Irrespective of Blood Eosinophil Count and Interleukin-5

Rothenberg ME, Roufosse F, Faguer S, Gleich GJ, Steinfeld J, Yancey SW, Mavropoulou E, Kwon N; HES Mepolizumab Study Group. Mepolizumab Reduces Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Flares Irrespective of Blood Eosinophil Count and Interleukin-5. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022 May 12:S2213-2198(22)00482-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2022.04.037. 

Background

Mepolizumab, an anti-interleukin-5 (IL-5) antibody, reduces disease flares in patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). Factors predicting treatment response are unknown.

Objective

To assess mepolizumab efficacy by baseline blood eosinophil count (BEC) and serum IL-5 level in patients with HES.

Methods

This post hoc analysis used data from the phase III study assessing mepolizumab in patients with HES (NCT02836496). Patients 12 years old or older, with HES for 6 or more months, 2 or more flares in the previous year, and BEC ≥1,000 cells/μL at screening were randomized (1:1) to 4-weekly subcutaneous mepolizumab (300 mg) or placebo, plus baseline HES therapy, for 32 weeks. The proportion of patients experiencing 1 or more flares (wk 32), annualized flare rate, and proportion of patients with change from baseline in Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) item 3 (wk 32), were analyzed by baseline BEC (<1500/≥1500 to <2500/≥2500 cells/μL). Flare outcomes were assessed by baseline serum IL-5 (<7.81/≥7.81 pg/mL).

Results

Across baseline BEC subgroups, mepolizumab reduced the proportion of patients experiencing 1 or more flares by 63% to 90% and flare rate by 58% to 84% (treatment-by-eosinophil interaction P = .76 and P = .90, respectively); patients had improved BFI item 3 score with mepolizumab versus placebo (cells/μL: <1,500: 54% vs 37%; ≥1,500 to <2,500: 47% vs 31%; ≥2,500: 61% vs 0%; treatment-by-eosinophil interaction P = .42). Most patients had undetectable baseline serum IL-5 levels; among these, mepolizumab versus placebo reduced the proportion of patients with 1 or more flares (77%) and flare rate (67%).

Conclusions

Mepolizumab was efficacious in the patients with HES studied, irrespective of baseline BEC. Undetectable IL-5 levels should not preclude mepolizumab treatment.

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