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Clinical parameters and blood biomarkers associated with response to mepolizumab in severe asthma

  • August 20, 2026
  • Ian Sayers, et al., University of Nottingham
Product:
Inflammation Panel 250
Topic:
Immunology, Inflammation
Disease Area:
Asthma
Sample Type:
Serum
Back to Publications​
  • August 20, 2026
Product:
Inflammation Panel 250
Topic:​
Immunology, Inflammation
Disease Area:
Asthma
Sample Type:
Serum

Abstract

Background

Mepolizumab is effective for a subset of severe asthma patients in reducing exacerbation frequency. Identification of an early marker associated with long-term beneficial clinical response would facilitate better targeting of treatment. We set out to determine the impact of mepolizumab from a clinical, blood inflammatory cell and serum proteomics perspective and identify early changes in patients designated responder/non-responder at one year.

Methods

We enrolled asthma patients that met criteria to be prescribed mepolizumab. Patients had clinical and blood cell measurements at baseline, 12 and 26 weeks. Serum proteomics (Alamar NULISA, 250 panel) was completed at baseline and 12 weeks.

Results

37 patients completed the study (24 and 13 responder and non-responder respectively at 1 year). Both Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ)-6 and Severe Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ) improved at 12 and 26 weeks and were driven by the responder group. A reduction in blood eosinophils and basophils was observed. There was a significant elevation of only 2/248 serum proteins, IL5 and CCL24 after 12 weeks mepolizumab treatment, with elevation being driven by the responder and non-responder groups respectively. A 12-week improvement in SAQ was associated with higher odds of response at one year (OR 6.75, 95% CI 1.42–24.30; p=0.015).

Conclusions

We identified early changes in the clinical and protein profile in patients that go onto have a clinically relevant response to mepolizumab providing opportunities for a more personalised asthma management.

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Authors and Affiliations

Yik Pang¹, James Eastall², Alexander Clay², Robert J. Hall², Mohammad R. Ali¹, Dominick Shaw³˒⁴, and Ian Sayers²˒⁴*

¹ Centre for Respiratory Research, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, City Hospital, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
² Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
³ Department of Respiratory Sciences, Institute for Lung Health, NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
⁴ These authors contributed equally to this work as last author.

* Corresponding author

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Steve Williams, MD, PhD

CSO

Dr. Willams serves as the company’s Chief Scientific Officer. He was previously Chief Medical Officer at Standard Biotools and at SomaLogic where he pioneered the discipline for discovery and validation of predictive, diagnostic and prognostic models using machine-learning applied to large-plex proteomics. 20 such tests were used for drug characterization, safety and efficacy when incorporated in clinical drug trials at Pharma/Biotech and 17 different multivariate tests were validated and translated into regulated healthcare uses. Prior to SomaLogic, Dr. Williams was at Pfizer in the UK and the USA as a clinical triallist in Translational Medicine, and subsequently as VP, Global Clinical Technology. He sat on the National Advisory Council for the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the Executive Committee for the FNIH Biomarkers Consortium, and worked with FDA and PhRMA on developing evidentiary standards for biomarker qualification. Dr. William’s medical training was in London, at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, followed by a PhD in medicine/physiology at the same institution and training in Radiology at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Steve is co-inventor on 26 proteomics patents and author/coauthor on multiple foundational proteomics manuscripts.

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Justin McAnear

CFO

Mr. McAnear serves as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. He brings over 25 years of operational and financial leadership experience across various sectors and was instrumental in taking 10x Genomics public in 2019, serving as its CFO for over five years. Mr. McAnear served for over 3 years as Tesla’s VP of Worldwide Finance and Operations, supporting landmark initiatives such as the Model X and Model 3 launches and Solar City acquisition.  He also held various roles at Apple and J&J earlier in his career and served as a naval officer and aviator for over 9 years.