ICER releases revised evidence report on tezepelumab for severe asthma

US health technology assessor the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today posted its revised Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of tezepelumab, which is under development for the treatment of severe asthma by the UK’s AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) in partnership with US biotech Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN).

“ICER previously reviewed biologic therapies for moderate-to-severe asthma, and none of these were effective in patients with allergic nor eosinophilic asthma,” said De David Rind, the ICER’s chief medical officer. “Tezepelumab has a new mechanism of action and does reduce exacerbations even in patients without eosinophilia who really have not had good options for treatment until now. In other asthma patients for whom biologics are available, tezepelumab is not clearly superior to those options, and it appears to be less effective in getting patients off oral steroids than dupilumab. Additionally, there remains a large unmet need for therapies that substantially improve daily quality of life in patients with severe asthma,” Dr Rind explained.

Key clinical findings