Anti-TSLP antibody shows promise for treating allergic asthma

Targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine that is produced by epithelial cells in response to proinflammatory stimuli and drives allergic inflammatory responses, with an anti-TSLP agent reduces allergen-induced bronchoconstriction and indexes of airway inflammation, a new study shows.

Investigators divided 31 patients with mild allergic asthma into 2 groups: 1 group received 3 monthly doses of AMG 157, an anti-TSLP monoclonal immunoglobulin, and the other, placebo. They conducted allergen challenges on days 42 and 84 of the 12-week treatment period to evaluate the effects of AMG 157 on allergen-induced early responses (up to 2 hours after allergen challenge) and late asthmatic responses (3 to 7 hours after allergen challenge).

The AMG 157 treatment attenuated most measures of both early and late asthmatic responses. Most significantly, the maximum percentage decrease in the forced expiratory volume in 1 second during the late response was 34% smaller in the AMG 157 group than in the placebo group on day 42 and 45.9% smaller on day 84. Patients who received AMG 157 also had significant decreases in levels of blood and sputum eosinophils before and after the allergen challenge and in the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide. Neither group experienced any serious adverse events (Gauvreau GM, et al. N Engl J Med. 2014;370[22]:2102-2110).

MS FREEDMAN is a freelance medical editor and writer in New Jersey. DR BURKE, section editor for Journal Club, is chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at Saint Agnes Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. The editors have nothing to disclose in regard to affiliations with or financial interests in any organizations that may have an interest in any part of this article.