This activity is jointly provided by The Elsevier Office of Continuing Medical Education (EOCME) and Integritas Communications.

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

An Educational Symposium at the ATS 2017 International Conference
All ATS 2017 International Conference attendees are invited to attend this program.

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of allergists/clinical immunologists, pulmonologists, and other clinicians involved in the management of patients with severe asthma.

Statement of Need/Program Overview

Up to 15% of the more than 25 million Americans with asthma have a severe form of the disease.¹ Even with therapy, many of these patients continue to suffer from uncontrolled symptoms. The consequences are dire, including increased morbidity and mortality.^1,2 Evolving insights into the pathophysiologic underpinnings of various asthma phenotypes have paved the way for new targeted biologic therapies, with significant implications for best-practices management of severe disease.³ With several biologics now available and many additional options in late developmental stages, pulmonologists and clinical immunologists will be increasingly tasked with personalizing the choice of treatment with the identified disease endotypes. In this Clinical Issues™ program, faculty with expertise in clinical immunology and pulmonology will discuss and debate a series of topics related to the evaluation and long-term treatment of patients with severe asthma. The faculty panel will provide their insights into severe asthma classification, biomarkers, comorbidity management, and current and emerging targeted biologic therapies, all shaped by the latest evidence presented at the American Thoracic Society’s 113th Annual International Conference. Attendees are sure to leave this lively and engaging program with new information and a fresh perspective on the evolving management paradigms in severe asthma.

References

1. Levy ML. The national review of asthma deaths: what did we learn and what needs to change? Breathe (Sheff). 2015;11(1):14-24.
2. Chung KF, et al. International ERS/ATS guidelines on definition, evaluation and treatment of severe asthma. Eur Respir J. 2014;43(2):343-373.
3. Walsh GM. Biologics targeting IL-5, IL-4 or IL-13 for the treatment of asthma—an update. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2017;13(2):143-149.

Educational Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Describe pathophysiology of severe asthma with a focus on helper T cell type 2 (TH2)–mediated processes, biomarkers of disease phenotypes, and treatment targets
• Evaluate patients with severe asthma for symptom severity, exacerbation history, comorbidities, disease phenotypes, and prior treatment responses
• Discuss the clinical profiles of cytokine-targeting biologic medications for the treatment of severe asthma
• Individualize therapeutic regimens for severe asthma based on identified disease phenotypes, ongoing evaluations of symptoms, exacerbation risks, and comorbid conditions

Faculty

Eugene R. Bleecker, MD
Professor and Co-Chief
Division of Genetics, Genomics and Precision Medicine
Co-Director, Division of Pharmacogenomics
Center for Applied Genetics and Genomic Medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine
Tucson, Arizona

Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr., MD
Professor of Medicine
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Vice Chancellor, Clinical & Translational Science
Director, Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine & Science
Emeritus Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sally E. Wenzel, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director, University of Pittsburgh Asthma Institute at UPMC/UPSOM
UPMC Chair of Translational Airway Biology
Subsection Chief of Allergy
Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Program Agenda

6:30 PM – 7:00 PM: Registration and Dinner

7:00 PM – 7:05 PM: Introduction and Preassessment

7:05 PM – 7:30 PM: Pathophysiology and Burdens of Severe Asthma

7:30 PM – 7:55 PM: Patient Evaluations, Monitoring, and Treatment Goals

7:55 PM – 8:20 PM: Tailoring Long-term Management Plans for Patients With Severe Asthma

8:20 PM –8:30 PM: Postassessment and Question and Answer Session

Provider Information

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Elsevier Office of Continuing Medical Education and Integritas Communications.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Event staff will be glad to assist you with any special needs (ie, physical, dietary, etc). Please contact Mike Remsen prior to the live event at mremsen@integritasgrp.com.