What the trial was testing
The CASCADE enrolled 116 patients with asthma. The study was sponsored by AstraZeneca and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was initial testing (phase 2). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
Tezepelumab reduced airway eosinophils by 85% in people with uncontrolled asthma.
The Lancet. Respiratory medicine · 2021 · NCT03688074
These findings — that fewer eosinophils in airways after 28 weeks of treatment — were published in the The Lancet. Respiratory medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 116 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with asthma, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Tezepelumab is FDA-approved for severe asthma (brand name Tezspire). This study helps explain how it works—by reducing inflammation in the airways. If you have moderate-to-severe asthma that's hard to control, ask your doctor if this treatment might be right for you.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open asthma trials
A Clinical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Frevecitinib (KN-002) in Patients With Severe Asthma
A Phase 2 Dose Ranging Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Frevecitinib (KN-002) Over a 12-Week Treatment Period in Patients With Severe Asthma Not Controlled With Medium to High Dose ICS/LABA
Innate Immunity in Allergic Asthma
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a potential type 2 signature, obtained through stimulation of cell lines with various allergens in vitro, correlates with an allergic or asthmatic disease state ex vivo. This type 2 signature will be multi-hierarchical in nature and will be comprised cell surface receptor expression, pathway activation, and gene upregulation.