Tezspire™ (tezepelumab-ekko) injection is a drug that may be used as an add-on maintenance treatment for adults and children 12 years and older with severe asthma.1
Tezspire is used along with a person’s current asthma medicine to help improve severe asthma symptoms. It is not limited to a specific type of severe asthma.1
What are the ingredients in Tezspire?
The active ingredient in Tezspire is tezepelumab-ekko.2
How does Tezspire work?
Tezspire is a biologic monoclonal antibody. Biologics are drugs made from living cells. These cells can come from parts of the blood, proteins, viruses, or tissue. The process of making biologics turns these cells into drugs. Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made proteins that act like the germ-fighting antibodies found in your immune system.
In people with severe asthma, the airways of the lungs can become inflamed and swollen, making it difficult to breathe. Tezspire works by targeting a molecule called thymic stromal lymphopoietin, which is responsible for inflammation in the airway.
People with asthma do not respond to asthma treatment the same way. Tezspire is the first asthma treatment to target this molecule to reduce inflammation and reduce asthma attacks in severe asthma across a broad group of people, regardless of the type of asthma.1
What are the possible side effects?
The most common side effects of Tezspire include:2
- Hypersensitivity reactions like rash or red, itchy, or watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)
- Sore throat
- Joint stiffness
- Back pain
These are not all the possible side effects of Tezspire. Talk to your doctor about what to expect when taking Tezspire. You also should call your doctor if you have any changes that concern you when taking Tezspire.
Other things to know
Hypersensitivity reactions such as rash or allergic conjunctivitis can occur after getting an injection of Tezspire. For some, this is an immediate reaction. For others, it can take several days to appear. Talk with your doctor about your concerns.2
Tezspire should not be used for short-term asthma or short-term asthma attacks. It is also not meant to be used for acute bronchospasm or status asthmaticus. Talk with your doctor if your asthma symptoms do not get better or if they get worse after treatment with Tezspire.2
Do not abruptly stop using systemic or inhaled steroids when beginning treatment with Tezspire. Talk with your doctor about whether you need to stop or reduce your use of steroids. If appropriate, work with your doctor to slowly reduce your use.2
If you have a pre-existing parasite infection, it is recommended to treat the parasite infection before receiving Tezspire treatment. The safety of Tezpire is unknown if you have this type of infection. If you develop a parasite infection while taking Tezpire, your doctor might stop Tezpire until your infection is resolved.1,2
You should not receive certain vaccines while taking this drug. Talk to your doctor about which vaccines should be avoided while being treated with Tezspire.1,2
There is not enough data to know if Tezspire is safe to take while pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before treatment with Tezspire.2
As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a risk for an immune response to the drug, which lowers its effectiveness over time. This is known as immunogenicity.2,3
Before beginning treatment for asthma, tell your doctor about all your health conditions and any other drugs, vitamins, or supplements you are taking. This includes over-the-counter drugs.
For more information, read the full prescribing information of Tezspire.