Tezepelumab Shows Promise in Reducing Nasal Polyps and Symptoms in Chronic Rhinosinusitis
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Reviewed by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
Translated by Nhi Phuong Quynh Le, B.A |
Posted on April 28th, 2025
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Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps is typically managed with glucocorticoids and biologic therapies targeting various components of the type 2 inflammatory pathway. However, current treatments are not universally effective, highlighting the need for therapies that act through alternative mechanisms. To address this gap, AstraZeneca sponsored a study to evaluate the efficacy of tezepelumab in treating this condition.
The phase 3 clinical trial enrolled 408 participants with a mean age of 49.7 years, all of whom had been diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps for at least one year. At baseline, participants had an average nasal-polyp score of 6.1 (on an 8-point scale, with higher scores indicating more severe disease) and an average nasal congestion score of 2.57 (on a 3-point scale). Prior to the study, 71.3% of patients had undergone nasal polyp surgery, and 65.4% had received systemic glucocorticoids.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or tezepelumab, administered subcutaneously at 210 mg every four weeks. All participants continued using standard intranasal glucocorticoids. Tezepelumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine elevated in nasal polyps and known to drive allergic inflammation and immune cell activation.
After 48 weeks, treatment with tezepelumab resulted in a significant reduction in disease severity, with an average decrease of 2 points in the nasal-polyp score and 1 point in the congestion score—improvements not seen in the placebo group. Tezepelumab also improved patients' sense of smell and reduced nasal cavity opacification as seen on CT scans. The study’s promising results suggest future research should explore the combination of tezepelumab with other biologics, as well as head-to-head comparisons to help clinicians identify optimal treatment strategies.
The phase 3 clinical trial enrolled 408 participants with a mean age of 49.7 years, all of whom had been diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps for at least one year. At baseline, participants had an average nasal-polyp score of 6.1 (on an 8-point scale, with higher scores indicating more severe disease) and an average nasal congestion score of 2.57 (on a 3-point scale). Prior to the study, 71.3% of patients had undergone nasal polyp surgery, and 65.4% had received systemic glucocorticoids.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or tezepelumab, administered subcutaneously at 210 mg every four weeks. All participants continued using standard intranasal glucocorticoids. Tezepelumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine elevated in nasal polyps and known to drive allergic inflammation and immune cell activation.
After 48 weeks, treatment with tezepelumab resulted in a significant reduction in disease severity, with an average decrease of 2 points in the nasal-polyp score and 1 point in the congestion score—improvements not seen in the placebo group. Tezepelumab also improved patients' sense of smell and reduced nasal cavity opacification as seen on CT scans. The study’s promising results suggest future research should explore the combination of tezepelumab with other biologics, as well as head-to-head comparisons to help clinicians identify optimal treatment strategies.