Novel Inhibitor Reduces the Rate of RTIs in Elderly Adults With Asthma

Dactolisib reduces the rate of respiratory tract infections among older adults with asthma, according to study findings presented at the American Thoracic Society’s 2019 International Conference.

Findings were presented by lead researcher Joan Mannick, MD, PhD, from resTORbio, Inc., on Monday, May 20.

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“[Respiratory tract infections] are a particularly important risk factor for asthmatics 65 years of age [or older] in whom asthma exacerbations and hospitalizations peak in the winter when circulation of multiple respiratory viruses also peak,” Dr Mannick and colleagues wrote. “However, no treatments currently exist that reduce the overall incidence of [respiratory tract infections], which are caused by hundreds of different viral serotypes that mostly lack effective therapies or vaccines.”

This gap led to a randomized, double-blind Phase 2b trial of dactolisib. Dr Mannick and colleagues conducted this trial in 652 high-risk patients aged 85 years or older, and those aged 65 years or older who have asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or type 2 diabetes mellitus or are current smokers.

For the trial, participants received either dactolisib alone or in combination with everolimus or matched placebo daily for 16 weeks during influenza season.

Compared with placebo, dactolisib, 10 mg once daily, reduced the percentage of participants with laboratory-confirmed respiratory tract infections by 30.6%. In those with asthma, dactolisib also reduced the adjusted rate of laboratory-confirmed respiratory tract infections by 78.6%.

“Dactolisib safely and effectively reduced the incidence of [respiratory tract infections], one of the major risk factors for asthma exacerbations, in high-risk elderly subjects including elderly subjects with asthma,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Mannick J, Shergill S, Teo G. Oral TORC1 inhibitor dactolisib enhances immune function and reduces the incidence of respiratory tract infections in elderly subjects with asthma. Paper presented at: ATS International Conference; May 17-22, 2019; Dallas, TX. https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/5789/presentation/11431.