The IRIS Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Influence of Mepolizumab on Structural and Inflammatory Cells in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma
IRAS ID
304497
Contact name
Hitasha Rupani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Over 5 million people in the UK have asthma, although the severity of asthma varies from person to person. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that are linked to allergy and inflammation and are raised in some people with asthma. Increased levels of eosinophils can cause inflammation in the lungs, increasing the risk of asthma attacks. The standard treatment for asthma involves taking inhaled steroid medication. With this treatment, the majority of people have no or very few asthma symptoms. \n\nPeople with ‘severe’ asthma find it difficult to control their daily asthma symptoms and have frequent asthma attacks, even when they are taking high doses of asthma medications. People who have severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) have increased levels of eosinophils in their blood. They are more likely to have asthma attacks and usually have many courses of steroids each year. Some people with SEA benefit from the use of medications called biologics, such as Mepolizumab. \n\nMepolizumab reduces the number of eosinophils in the blood and lungs by blocking a protein called interleukin-5. This leads to reduced amounts of inflammation in the lungs. We know Mepolizumab is beneficial as it reduces both symptoms and the number of asthma attacks suffered by peoples with SEA; however there are no studies looking at the detailed effects of Mepolizumab on cells within the airways.\n\nThe IRIS study will study how Mepolizumab affects the structure of the airway cells in people with SEA and how the immune function of these cells changes with treatment. The aim is to take samples of cells from the airways during a bronchoscopy (a camera test looking into the lungs) before starting Mepolizumab and after 6 months of treatment. These investigations will allow us to better understand how Mepolizumab affects the cells within the airways.\n
REC name
East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/EE/0228
Date of REC Opinion
1 Nov 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion