Clearing the Air in Severe Asthma Management

Faculty

Jonathan Corren, MD
Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Director, Allergy Medical Clinic
Los Angeles, California

John J. Oppenheimer, MD (Virtual Professor)
Clinical Professor of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Newark, New Jersey
Clinician, Atlantic Health System
Morristown Medical Center
Morristown, New Jersey

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

Sally E. Wenzel, MD
Professor of Medicine and Immunology
Director, University of Pittsburgh Asthma Institute at UPMC/UPSOM
UPMC Chair of Translational Airway Biology
Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Graduate School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Target Audience

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

Statement of Need/Program Overview

An outsized proportion of asthma-related morbidity and mortality is borne by the 5% to 15% of affected patients who have severe forms of the disease.^1,2 These patients suffer from poorly controlled symptoms and frequent exacerbations, often despite daily treatment with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids and other long-acting controller medications.^1,2 Ongoing research has elucidated key pathophysiologic processes and other clinical parameters related to asthma severity and persistence.^2,3 In many cases, the patient’s medical history, clinical presentation, and results from biomarker testing can help classify severe asthma phenotypically.^2,3 Increasingly, this can allow physicians to personalize maintenance regimens using targeted therapies that reflect identified endotypes—ie, asthma phenotypes linked to specific underlying disease mechanisms and proinflammatory signaling cascades.^2,4,5 Several biologic medications are now available to treat certain cohorts with severe asthma, and other targeted agents are in late-stage development.^5-8 Clinical immunologists, allergists, and other specialists who manage patients with severe asthma need to stay current on the latest published trial data for newer targeted therapies, approvals from the US Food and Drug Administration, and actionable best-practice recommendations on evaluating and treating patients with severe asthma. During this Interactive Exchange™ activity, a panel of expert faculty will present updates on advances in our understanding of severe asthma pathophysiology and comprehensively evaluating and longitudinally managing patients with severe asthma, including how the evolving evidence base and individual patient preferences should shape clinical decision making.

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, Wenzel SE, Brozek JL, et al. International ERS/ATS guidelines on definition, evaluation and treatment of severe asthma. Eur Respir J. 2014;43(2):343-373.
3. Wan XC, Woodruff PG. Biomarkers in severe asthma. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2016;36(3):547-557.
4. Lötvall J, Akdis CA, Bacharier LB, et al. Asthma endotypes: a new approach to classification of disease entities within the asthma syndrome. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;127(2):355-360.
5. Fajt ML, Wenzel SE. Asthma phenotypes and the use of biologic medications in asthma and allergic disease: the next steps toward personalized care. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015;135(2):299-310.
6. Chipps BE, Corren J, Israel E, et al. Asthma yardstick: practical recommendations for a sustained step-up in asthma therapy for poorly controlled asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;118(2):133-142.
7. Wu AY, Sur S, Grant JA, Tripple JW. Interleukin-4/interleukin-13 versus interleukin-5: a comparison of molecular targets in biologic therapy for the treatment of severe asthma. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2019;19(1):30-37.
8. Corren J, Parnes JR, Wang L, et al. Tezepelumab in adults with uncontrolled asthma. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(10):936-946.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be better able to:

• Discuss asthma pathophysiology, including Th2-mediated processes and clinically relevant treatment targets
• Implement guideline recommendations related to the identification, comprehensive assessment, and longitudinal management of patients with severe asthma
• Describe the mechanistic rationale, published evidence, and prescribing considerations for biologic therapies in severe asthma
• Tailor therapeutic regimens for patients with severe asthma based on disease phenotypes, ongoing symptoms and exacerbation risks, treatment-related toxicities, and comorbidities
• Engage patients with severe asthma in long-term management planning to reflect treatment goals, clinical and laboratory findings, and potential benefits and risks of available therapeutic options

Physician Accreditation Statement

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 Global Education Group (Global) and Integritas Communications. Global is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

This CME/CE activity complies with all requirements of the federal Physician Payment Sunshine Act. If a reportable event is associated with this activity, the accredited provider managing the program will provide the appropriate physician data to the Open Payments database.

Physician Credit Designation

Global Education Group designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Global Education Group (Global) requires instructors, planners, managers and other individuals and their spouse/life partner who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted by Global for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content, and appropriateness of patient care recommendations.

The faculty reported the following financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouses/life partners have with commercial interests related to the content of this activity:

Jonathan Corren, MD: Speakers Bureau: AstraZeneca; Genentech, Inc.; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC; Consultant/Advisor: AstraZeneca; Genentech, Inc.; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC; Pulmatrix; Research Grant: AstraZeneca; Genentech, Inc.; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC; Stallergenes Greer plc.

John J. Oppenheimer, MD; Consultant/Independent Contractor: AstraZeneca; DBV Technologies; GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi; Grant/Research Support (Adjudication Data and Safety Monitoring Board): AstraZeneca; Novartis

Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr, MD: Nothing to disclose

Sally E. Wenzel, MD: Consultant/Advisor: AstraZeneca; sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC; Pieris; Research Grant: AstraZeneca; GlaxoSmithKline; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (paid to University Pittsburgh Medical Center); Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC

The planners and managers reported the following financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouses/life partners have with commercial interests related to the content of this CME activity:

Lindsay Borvansky: Nothing to disclose
Andrea Funk: Nothing to disclose
Ashley Cann: Nothing to disclose
Julia Muino: Nothing to disclose
Rose O'Connor, PhD, CHCP: Nothing to disclose
Jim Kappler: Nothing to disclose

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Global and Integritas Communications do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of patient conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Instructions to Receive Credit

In order to receive credit, participants must complete the pre-assessment questions, view the activity in its entirety, and the post-test, and program evaluation. Participants must also score at least 70% on the post-test. You will receive a digital copy of your credit certificate at the conclusion of the activity.

For information about the accreditation of this program, please contact Global at 303-395-1782 or cme@globaleducationgroup.com.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.