Safety and Efficacy of Mepolizumab in Hypereosinophilic Syndrome: An Open-Label Extension Study

Background: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study (200622) showed that mepolizumab reduces disease flares for patients with uncontrolled FIP1-like-1-platelet-derived growth factor receptor α-negative hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) and two or more flares in the previous year.

Objective: To further characterize the safety, clinical benefit, and pharmacodynamics of mepolizumab.

Methods: Eligible patients from both treatment arms of the double-blind study could enter an open-label extension study (205203; NCT03306043) to receive 4-weekly mepolizumab (300 mg subcutaneously) plus background therapy for 20 weeks. Primary end points were safety-based; other end points included flare rates and changes from baseline in mean daily oral corticosteroid (OCS) dose and blood eosinophil count.

Results: Of 104 patients who completed the double-blind study, 98% (previous placebo, n = 52; previous mepolizumab, n = 50) enrolled in the open-label extension. Overall, 66 of patients reported adverse events (AEs) (65%), 15 reported treatment-related AEs (15%), and nine reported serious AEs (9%). No events were fatal. The annualized flare rate (95% confidence interval) in the previous placebo and previous mepolizumab groups was 0.37 (0.16-0.86) and 0.14 (0.04-0.49) events/y, respectively. Of 72 patients receiving OCS during weeks 0 to 4, 20 (28%; previous placebo, n = 14; previous mepolizumab, n = 6) achieved 50% or greater reductions in mean daily dose during weeks 16 to 20. At week 20, blood eosinophil count was reduced by 89% in patients previously receiving placebo and remained reduced for those previously receiving mepolizumab.

Conclusions: Extended mepolizumab treatment was associated with a positive benefit-risk profile. Continued control of disease flares and blood eosinophil counts, plus reductions in OCS use, were observed with mepolizumab in patients with FIP1-like-1-platelet-derived growth factor receptor α-negative HES.