Efficacy and safety of reslizumab in patients with moderate to severe eosinophilic asthma

Reslizumab, a neutralizing anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody, is a promising adjunctive treatment for severe eosinophilic asthma. Monthly intravenous 3.0 mg/kg reslizumab had resulted in improvements in lung function and asthma control. It is well tolerated and common adverse events include headache, nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infection. Rebound eosinophilia after cessation of reslizumab and attenuation of the treatment response with repeated dosing had been reported. Stringent selection of patients with a high eosinophil burden, who are poorly controlled despite moderate to high doses of inhaled corticosteroid, confers the most significant treatment response. Future trials should compare the dose, delivery platform, frequency of dosing and study combinations with other biologics, which will affect its maximal clinical efficacy.