Tezspire (Tezepelumab-ekko) - Subcutaneous

What Is Tezspire?

Tezspire (tezepelumab-ekko) is a medication given by injection to treat severe asthma in adults and children 12 years and older.

Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs that causes the airways to tighten and become inflamed, leading to difficulty breathing. Classic asthma symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and cough. Regular use of controller medicines can help keep asthma under control consistently, and rescue inhalers treat acute asthma attacks within minutes.

Tezspire is a monoclonal antibody, or more specifically, a thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) blocker. It works by blocking the release of TSLP, a cytokine protein in your body that can cause inflammation. Blocking this inflammation leads to decreased airway restriction and improved breathing.

Tezspire is a prescription drug, which means you need an order for it from your healthcare provider. It is also considered a specialty drug and may require special approval from your insurance company. You will most likely receive it as a shipment from a specialty pharmacy.

Tezspire is given subcutaneously (under the skin) by a healthcare provider.

What Is Tezspire Used For?

Tezspire is used as an add-on maintenance treatment for severe asthma in adults and children who are at least 12 years old.

Maintenance treatment is taken regularly, even when you’re feeling good, to keep the condition under control. It is not used for asthma attacks or acute episodes when you have trouble breathing. Add-on treatment means that Tezspire will be used in addition to other medications prescribed for asthma. It will usually be added onto your therapy once other standard asthma treatments have been tried first but aren’t providing enough relief. This could mean that you’re still having to use your quick-relief inhaler multiple times a week or that symptoms are waking you up at night.

How to Take Tezspire

You will receive your Tezspire injection every four weeks, about once a month, from a healthcare provider.

The drug is given subcutaneously, which means the medicine is injected right under your skin, as opposed to into a muscle or a vein. The needles are small, only about a quarter of an inch long. You'll most likely receive injections in your thighs, stomach, or upper arm, as these areas commonly have the most fat.

Storage

Since Tezspire is administered to you by a healthcare provider, you don’t have to worry about storing it. A specialty pharmacy will send the medication to your healthcare provider’s office or an infusion clinic where you will receive your dose.

The drug is stored in the refrigerator (36 F to 46 F) and then should be allowed to reach room temperature before it is injected. It can also be kept at room temperature for a maximum of 30 days.

What Are the Side Effects of Tezspire?

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your pharmacist or a healthcare provider. You may report side effects to the FDA at fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.

Common Side Effects

These are the most common side effects of Tezspire. If you experience these side effects and think they are severe or do not go away, you should notify your healthcare provider:

• Injection site reactions, which could include pain, itching, or redness in the area where you received your Tezspire injection
• Pharyngitis, or a sore throat
• Arthralgia, or pain in your joints
• Back pain

Severe Side Effects

Call your healthcare provider immediately if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

• Hypersensitivity reactions: This type of reaction may present as widespread redness or a rash and may also include serum sickness-like reactions which can cause fever and pain in the joints. These reactions are caused by your immune system and were reported in less than 1% of people in clinical trials. These reactions can occur within hours of administration but in some instances have a delayed onset.
• Immunogenicity: Rarely, drugs like Tezspire, also called a monoclonal antibody or a protein-based therapeutic, can actually cause your immune system to attack the drug itself. Your body can develop antibodies, which are proteins specifically made to attach to the drug molecule, rendering it ineffective in your body. In this case, you will likely have to switch to a different drug.

Dosage: How Much Tezspire Should I Take?

A trained healthcare provider will administer Tezspire to you as a subcutaneous injection. You will visit a healthcare provider's office or infusion clinic to receive a dose every four weeks. Each vial and pre-filled syringe contains a single dose.

Modifications

Certain factors may affect your decision to take this medication.

Pregnancy

There is not enough data regarding the use of Tezspire in those who are pregnant to make a recommendation on the risk of birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse outcomes. The medicine may be transferred from the pregnant person to the fetus, especially during the third trimester of pregnancy. The third trimester is when the highest amount of monoclonal antibodies get transferred across the placenta.

Speak with your healthcare provider about whether to use Tezspire if you’re planning to become pregnant. The benefits of Tezspire may outweigh the potential risks since uncontrolled asthma in pregnant people can be harmful to a developing fetus.

Breastfeeding

The amount of Tezspire that can get into breast milk or the effect it may have on a breastfeeding baby is not well understood. The breastfeeding individual's clinical need for Tezspire should be considered and weighed against any potential risk to the baby.

Children

Tezspire has been established as safe and effective as an add-on treatment for severe asthma in patients 12 years and older. Side effects experienced by children in clinical trials were similar to those experienced by the adult population.

Adults 65 and Older

No differences in side effects were seen between younger and older adults (over age 65). However, not enough older adults were included in trials to know for sure if they may be affected differently.

Missed Dose

You will receive a Tezspire injection at a healthcare provider’s office or an infusion clinic every four weeks.

It’s best to schedule your doses ahead of time so that there is always room in the healthcare provider’s schedule to keep giving your doses four weeks apart. Getting your injection a couple of days early or late is not a big deal, but try to keep it as consistent as possible. If you end up having to miss an appointment, talk with your healthcare provider about how to get in as soon as possible so that you can resume your normal dosing.

Overdose: What Happens If I Take Too Much Tezspire?

Tezspire is an injection given at a healthcare provider’s office.

Precautions

What Are Reasons I Shouldn't Take Tezspire?

You shouldn’t use Tezspire if you have a known hypersensitivity or allergy to it or any of its ingredients.

Tezspire should also not be used to treat acute asthma symptoms or acute exacerbations. You should let your healthcare provider know if your asthma remains out of control or gets worse after you start using Tezspire.

Finally, make sure to let your healthcare provider know if you have a parasitic infection such as malaria, tapeworm infection, scabies, or lice. These infections should be treated before starting Tezspire, as Tezspire may interfere with how the infection medicine works. If you are using Tezspire and get a parasitic infection but aren’t responding to treatment, Tezspire may need to be stopped until the infection clears.

What Other Medications Interact With Tezspire?

You should avoid live vaccinations while you’re taking Tezspire. Live vaccines include:

• Chickenpox (varicella) vaccines
• FluMist (the flu vaccine given as a nasal spray)
• MMR vaccines (measles, mumps, and rubella)
• Japanese encephalitis vaccine
• Rotavirus vaccines
• Yellow fever vaccine

Non-live, or inactivated, vaccinations are fine for individuals using Tezspire.

What Medications Are Similar?

There are many other medications known as monoclonal antibodies, like Tezspire. They all have slightly different mechanisms but work similarly in that they mimic or improve a certain part of the function of your immune system. A few examples are:

• Cinqair (reslizumab) is a drug given intravenously (or into the vein) every four weeks.
• Fasenra (benralizumab) is used to treat a specific but rare type of asthma called eosinophilic asthma.
• Xolair (omalizumab) is a self-injectable drug also mainly used for asthma.
• Dupixent (dupilumab) is a self-injectable drug that can also be used for skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, or eczema.

This is a list of drugs also prescribed for immune-mediated conditions such as asthma, arthritis, or certain skin conditions. It is NOT a list of drugs recommended to take with Tezspire. In fact, you should not take these drugs together. Discuss any questions or concerns with your pharmacist or a healthcare provider.

How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Tezspire?

Conditions caused by an overactive immune system (or autoimmune diseases) are difficult to understand because our immune systems are so complicated. Uncontrolled asthma can be very frustrating to deal with because it has such a profound impact on your everyday life. It can be hard to work efficiently or enjoy things you normally would if you’re always concerned about experiencing an asthma attack.

Sometimes the standard treatments for asthma, like pills and inhalers, are simply not enough to control the condition. Fortunately, in the last decade or so, the advancement of drugs called monoclonal antibodies have made an enormous difference in treating many conditions such as cancer, arthritis, asthma, gastrointestinal conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

While it may seem scary at first to receive an injection, know that subcutaneous injections are often quick and cause little to no pain. Being patient and sticking to your dosing schedule while continuing to use other prescribed medicines will help you keep your asthma symptoms under control.