New hope for severe asthma control: What you need to know about Tezspire

Do you have severe asthma? Do you still have frequent attacks despite using your inhaler and other medications? Are you tired of not sleeping well at night and not being able to do even the smallest tasks? Only those who suffer from it know how difficult it is to live with such a difficult-to-control, severe asthma. But fear not, with the advancement of medical science, new treatments have now come to the rescue. Today, we are going to talk about one such new and advanced treatment. That is Tezspire.

How does this medicine called Tezspire actually work?

Okay, let's first understand in simple terms what happens to our bodies when we have asthma. Asthma is a condition in which our airways, or windpipes, become inflamed, swollen, and sensitive. When something allergic (for example, dust, smoke) enters the body, these airways become narrower and it becomes difficult to breathe.

Typically, we use two main types of medications to treat asthma. One is controller medicines . These are used daily to control asthma and prevent attacks. The other type is rescue medicines . These are used to quickly reduce symptoms when an asthma attack occurs.

Tezspire is an add-on medication to the controller medication you are already taking. It helps prevent asthma attacks, not a 'rescue' medication to take when you have one.

Simply put, Tezspire is a medicine made from a specific type of protein. To be precise, this is called a (monoclonal antibody) . Our body has a chemical called (Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin - TSLP) . This TSLP is the main contributor to swelling (inflammation) and unnecessary sensitivity in the airways. Tezspire medicine blocks the action of that chemical called TSLP. When TSLP is blocked, the swelling and narrowing of the airways are reduced and asthma symptoms are better controlled.

How did you find out how effective this medicine is?

Before any new drug comes to the market, large-scale clinical studies are conducted to determine whether it is safe for use in humans and whether it is truly effective. Two major studies have been conducted with Tezspire.

The participants in this study were people aged 12 and older with severe asthma . That is, those who had frequent asthma attacks that required steroid pills or hospitalization.

The research mainly measured several factors:

• Asthma Exacerbations: We looked at how much the frequency of asthma attacks decreased after taking the medication.
• Lung function : A special test measures the amount of air that can be forcefully exhaled in one second. This is called Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second - FEV1 .
• Symptom control: Using a special questionnaire (`Asthma Control Questionnaire 6` or ACQ-6 ), patients were also assessed to see how well their symptoms were being controlled.

These studies included people from a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds, but smokers and those with other respiratory diseases were excluded from these studies.

What are the results of this research?

The participants in the study continued to take their usual asthma control medications (e.g. inhaled corticosteroids ). One group was given the Tezspire vaccine, while the other group was given a placebo . A placebo is something that looks like medicine but doesn't actually contain any active medicine. It is used to accurately measure the effects of the real medicine.

The results at the end of 52 weeks, that is, a year, are truly encouraging.

• Compared to the placebo group, those who received Tezspire had a 56% to 72% reduction in asthma exacerbations (attacks).
• Also, lung function, that is, FEV1, increased by about 0.13 liters in those who took Tezspire.
• According to the ACQ-6 questionnaire, 86% of those taking Tezspire reported an improvement in their symptoms, compared to 77% in the placebo group.

These results clearly show that Tezspire is a very effective treatment for controlling severe asthma. But keep in mind that research results are not the same for everyone. Your results may be different.

How to get Tezspire? How to use it?

If your asthma is difficult to control and you are interested in Tezspire, you can talk to your family doctor or a pulmonologist about it. If your doctor decides that this medication is appropriate for your condition, he or she will make the necessary arrangements for you to receive it.

Tezspire is a subcutaneous injection that is given under the skin every 4 weeks . This is usually given in a doctor's office, clinic, or hospital. In some cases, your doctor may decide that it is safe and appropriate for you to inject yourself at home. If this is the case, your doctor or a trained nurse will teach you how to inject the vaccine properly.

Side effects and things to be aware of

Like any medication, Tezspire can cause minor and sometimes serious side effects. It is important to be aware of these.

Can there be problems with other medications?

According to current information, Tezspire has not been reported to cause serious interactions with other drugs. However, it is best to tell your doctor about all the medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. Always ask your doctor before starting any new medication.

If you suspect that you have experienced a side effect from this medicine, even if you are not 100% sure that it is due to Tezspire, you can report it to the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital . This information will be very important in gathering more information about this medicine in the future.

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