Biologics therapy is the targeted injectable treatment for severe asthma designed to block specific immune pathways that drive airway inflammation. As one type of the biologics, Benralizumab effectively targets the IL-5 receptor to reduce eosinophilic inflammation. However, clinical responses in severe asthma patients remain highly heterogeneous. To bridge this gap, CHU Montpellier is collaborating with Thirona to utilize AI-driven quantitative CT analysis to evaluate the treatment effects of biologic therapy, identify patients most likely to benefit, and determine which metrics of airway structural changes best predict optimal responders. Ultimately, these findings will refine patient selection based on unique airway characteristics, paving the way for more precise and personalized therapeutic decisions.
In this project, our AI-enabled quantitative imaging analysis was used to measure bronchial widening (Bout/A and Bin/A), wall thickening (Bwt/A and Bwa/Boa) using LungQ® BA, quantify mucus plug count and volumes using LungQ® MP and assess trapped air through low-attenuation region quantification using LungQ® MP.
These quantitative insights into structural changes offer significantly higher precision and reproducibility than conventional visual assessments. By demonstrating greater sensitivity than standard lung function tests in detecting early-stage or subtle changes, these measurements can serve as robust, reliable metrics for both clinical trial endpoints and the development of personalized treatment strategies.
