Reslizumab for treating severe eosinophilic asthma

Reslizumab, as an add-on therapy, is recommended as an option for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma that is inadequately controlled in adults despite maintenance therapy with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids plus another drug, only if:

• the blood eosinophil count has been recorded as 400 cells per microlitre or more

• the person has had 3 or more severe asthma exacerbations needing systemic corticosteroids in the past 12 months and

• the company provides reslizumab with the discount agreed in the patient access scheme.

At 12 months:

• stop reslizumab if the asthma has not responded adequately or

• continue reslizumab if the asthma has responded adequately and assess response each year.
  
  An adequate response is defined as:

• a clinically meaningful reduction in the number of severe exacerbations needing systemic corticosteroids or

• a clinically significant reduction in continuous oral corticosteroid use while maintaining or improving asthma control.

These recommendations are not intended to affect treatment with reslizumab that was started in the NHS before this guidance was published. Adults having treatment outside these recommendations may continue without change to the funding arrangements in place for them before this guidance was published, until they and their NHS clinician consider it appropriate to stop.