NEW results from the WAYFINDER trial reveal that tezepelumab markedly improves asthma control and reduces reliance on oral corticosteroids (OCS) among adults with severe asthma. The findings, presented at the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) 2025 Annual Meeting in Chicago, show substantial clinical improvements over a 52-week period.
Oral Corticosteroid-Dependent Severe Asthma
WAYFINDER was an open-label, single-arm trial including 298 adults with severe asthma who had been receiving maintenance OCS, prednisone or prednisolone 5–40 mg/day, for at least 3 months before enrolment. All participants received subcutaneous tezepelumab 210 mg every 4 weeks for up to 1 year.
The study included a 4-week induction phase at a stable OCS dose, followed by a 48-week OCS reduction and maintenance phase, allowing researchers to assess both asthma control improvement and steroid-sparing effects.
Marked Improvements in Asthma Control
At baseline, only 3.0% of participants had well-controlled asthma. By Week 28, this rose to 25.5%, and by Week 52, 26.9% achieved well-controlled status. Over the same period, the proportion with uncontrolled asthma dropped from 80.2% to 34.9%.
The mean Asthma Control Questionnaire-6 (ACQ-6) score improved from 2.6 at baseline to 1.5 at Week 28 and 1.4 at Week 52, representing a meaningful and sustained reduction in symptom burden. Nearly half of all participants (47.3%) achieved at least partially controlled asthma by the end of the trial.
Reducing Steroid Dependence While Enhancing Control
The post hoc analysis supports tezepelumab’s efficacy in OCS-dependent patients, demonstrating that it may enable clinicians to lower maintenance corticosteroid doses without compromising control. These results reinforce tezepelumab’s potential role as a key biologic therapy for patients struggling with steroid dependence and persistent inflammation despite maximal standard therapy.
For clinicians managing severe asthma, the WAYFINDER findings highlight tezepelumab’s dual benefit: improved asthma control and reduced OCS exposure, both crucial in minimising treatment-related side effects and improving quality of life. As biologic therapies continue to evolve, tezepelumab’s efficacy in difficult-to-treat asthma populations represents a significant advance in personalised respiratory care.
Reference
Bansal S et al. Asthma control improvements in oral corticosteroid-dependent patients with severe asthma after tezepelumab initiation and oral corticosteroid dose reduction. CHEST Annual Meeting, October 19-22, 2025.
