BACKGROUND: REMIT is the first real-world study of mepolizumab effectiveness in patients with severe asthma (SA) in Taiwan. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective evaluated changes in clinically significant exacerbations (CSEs
defined as use of oral corticosteroids (OCS) or emergency department (ED) visits and/or hospitalizations) in the 12 months pre- and post-mepolizumab treatment. Secondary objectives assessed changes in the number of CSEs requiring ED visits/hospitalizations and daily maintenance OCS (mOCS) dosage 12 months pre- and post-mepolizumab treatment. Three- and four-component clinical remissions were analyzed based on OCS-free, exacerbation-free, and asthma control (± stability in lung function). DESIGN: REMIT was a retrospective, observational, self-controlled study analyzing patients in Taiwan with SA who were newly prescribed subcutaneous mepolizumab 100 mg Q4W. METHODS: Data were extracted from records of 15 medical centers in Taiwan for patients indexed between November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020. RESULTS: A total of 170 patients were included: mean age at index date, 58.7 years
53.5% female
100% Chinese
7.1% with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, 1.8% with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, 1.2% with hypereosinophilic syndrome
and 55.7% with blood eosinophil count >
300/µL. Pre-treatment, 71.2% had ⩾2 exacerbations, and 28.7% were on mOCS
75.3% had no prior biologic treatment, and 24.7% had switched from other biologics. Most patients (80.0%) completed ⩾10 mepolizumab doses. Following the first mepolizumab administration (index date), CSEs reduced by 46.0% (rate ratio (RR): 0.545, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.418-0.710
CONCLUSION: Mepolizumab use in a patient population in Taiwan with SA significantly reduced CSEs and mOCS use in routine clinical practice.