The FDA has approved depemokimab (Exdensur – GSK), a long-acting interleukin-5 (IL-5) antagonist, for add-on maintenance treatment of severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype in patients ≥12 years old. Depemokimab is the fourth IL-5-directed treatment to be approved in the US for this indication; the IL-5 antagonists mepolizumab (Nucala) and reslizumab (Cinqair) and the IL-5 receptor alpha antagonist benralizumab (Fasenra) were approved earlier.

The goal of asthma treatment is to control symptoms, prevent exacerbations, and maintain normal lung function. Management of acute exacerbations in the emergency department is not discussed here.