Patients receiving pembrolizumab or nivolumab exhibited a modest reduction in asthma exacerbation rates at 24 months
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) were associated with modest protective effects for patients with asthma, according to new research being presented at the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting. “As immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly used in cancer care, including among patients with co-existing asthma, our team sought to better understand their impact on asthma exacerbations using a large-scale EHR database,” said lead author Manan S. Shah, BS. “Our findings are the first to suggest that moderate-to-severe asthma should not be considered a contraindication to ICI therapy, as these treatments were not associated with worsening asthma exacerbations.” In this retrospective cohort study, researchers utilized the TriNetX US Collaborative Network. The study found 2,329 patients, aged 18 to 80, with asthma who were undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for melanoma or renal cell carcinoma. Asthma subtypes were classified using ICD-10 codes (J45.2 – J45.909). Asthma exacerbation rates, defined as acute asthma exacerbation or status asthmaticus, were compared at 6, 12 and 24 months after the treatment initiation and against the propensity score-matched controls. Across all asthma subtypes, the research found that patients receiving pembrolizumab or nivolumab exhibited a modest reduction in exacerbation rates at 24 months (5.12% vs. 7.75%, p = 0.0004). Notably, patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma showed significant benefit at 24 months (6.82% vs. 13.26%, p = 0.0138), while dual therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab did not demonstrate significant differences in exacerbation rates compared to controls. The findings suggest a potential immunomodulatory benefit of ICIs beyond oncologic indications, but further prospective studies are warranted to understand the underlying mechanisms of ICI effects on patients with asthma, the researchers said. Visit aaaai.org to learn more about severe asthma. Research presented at the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting, February 27 – March 2 in Philadelphia, PA, is published in an online supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI). The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is the leading membership organization of more than 7,100 allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists and other professionals with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI is the go-to resource for patients living with allergies, asthma and immune deficiency disorders. SOURCE American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
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