Clearing the Air in Severe Asthma Management

This activity is jointly provided by Global Education Group (Global) and Integritas Communications.

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

This symposium is not supported, endorsed, or accredited by the American College of Chest Physicians.

Target Audience

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

Statement of Need

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 Pulmonologists, allergists, clinical immunologists, 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™ program, two 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 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 designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Global requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals and their spouses/life partners who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflicts 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.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no registration fee for attending this program, however, seating is limited. Preregistration does not guarantee seating. We recommend arriving at the symposium location early.

Americans With Disability Act

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

Global Contact Information

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