Potency of HDM Sublingual AIT Tablets in Assuring the Persistency of Asthma Control in HDM Allergic Patients With Severe Asthma, Treated With Tezepelumab
brief summary
The aim of this drug trial is to evaluate the annualized asthma exacerbation rate under treatment with Acarizax versus placebo. The trial is intended for adults aged 18 to 65 with severe uncontrolled asthma and a house dust mite allergy. The study will involve 32 patients (up to 38 with study dropouts) recruited from French hospitals, in pulmonology and allergology departments. Initially, all participants will receive Tezepelumab for 3 to 6 months (M-3/-6) to control asthma symptoms. If asthma is not controlled after 6 months, the participant will be excluded from the study and will continue on standard treatment. Once their asthma is controlled, patients will be randomized in two groups: * Group A: Tezepelumab + Acarizax® * Group B: Tezepelumab + Placebo After 6 months of treatment with Acarizax or placebo (M6), Tezepelumab will be stopped and participants will continue treatment with Acarizax or placebo alone for a further 12 months (up to M18/End of search). The study will include 5 visits during regular consultations (M-3/M-6, D0, M6, M12 and M18), as well as 2 follow-up telephone calls M3 and M9).
detailed description
The TEZEPAIT study is a prospective, multicentre, 2-parallel-arms, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized (1:1) trial.
PHASE 1: Patients will be included in the study after verification of eligibility criteria and signing of informed consent. All patients will be treated with Tezepelumab for 3-6 months and randomized in two groups:
* Group A: Tezepelumab + Acarizax® * Group B: Tezepelumab + Placebo If patients are not controlled (ACT ≥ 20/25) after 3 months of Tezepelumab, they will be re-assessed monthly, for 3 consecutive months, until asthma symptoms are controlled or they will be excluded from the rest of the study. If they are not controlled after 6 months, they will be excluded from the study.
PHASE 2: After the phase 1, if asthma symptoms are controlled (Asthma Control Test, ACT ≥20/25), patients in Group A will start Acarizax®, in addition to Tezepelumab, while patients in Group B will continue Tezepelumab plus a placebo. Patients will all receive a 6-month treatment of Acarizax® or placebo, before stopping Tezepelumab (M6), to assure an optimal effect of AIT, as shown in Phase 3 trials.
Patients will all receive an additional 6 months of Tezepelumab starting at D0 (Start of Acarizax®/placebo), before stopping it.
PHASE 3: After stopping Tezepelumab, patients will receive an additional 12-month treatment of Acarizax® or placebo. Patients will receive an 18-month course of Acarizax® or placebo.
For safety and ethical reasons, between M6 and M18 (Tezepelumab treatment will be suspended), in case of reappearance of uncontrolled severe asthma, Tezepelumab will be re-prescribed to patients.
At the end of the study, patients on placebo, if their asthma is controlled, will be offered Acarizax® treatment (as a regular prescription and paid / reimbursed as proposed by the National French HealthCare system) and patients on Acarizax® treatment and controlled will be able to continue it as routine care.