Dosage, cost, side effects, and more

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Tezspire.

How do Tezspire and Dupixent compare?

Tezspire and Dupixent are add-on maintenance (long-term) treatments for severe asthma. Doctors prescribe them for people whose asthma isn’t managed well enough with other treatments. Both drugs are given as a subcutaneous injection. But there are some key differences between Tezspire and Dupixent.

Tezspire is prescribed for people ages 12 years and older with all types of severe asthma. You’ll usually receive it every 4 weeks. Doctors prescribe Dupixent for people ages 6 years and older with moderate to severe asthma that’s either:

Dupixent is usually taken every 2 weeks. This drug also treats moderate to severe eczema and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

Tezspire contains the active drug tezepelumab-ekko, while Dupixent contains the active drug dupilumab. Both are biologic drugs called monoclonal antibodies. Biologics are drugs made using living cells. And monoclonal antibodies block the activity of certain proteins in the body. But Tezspire and Dupixent block different proteins involved in causing inflammation.

If you’d like to learn more about how Tezspire and Dupixent compare, talk with your doctor.

Should I use Tezspire if I’m having a sudden asthma flare-up?

Tezspire should not be used to treat a sudden asthma flare-up. It’s not a rescue medication (a medication used to relieve shortness of breath or asthma attacks). Tezspire will not relieve sudden breathing problems.

Tezspire is a long-term maintenance treatment that helps prevent asthma flare-ups. If you have a Tezspire dose scheduled but have a sudden asthma flare-up, you can still receive your Tezspire dose. However, it won’t relieve your breathing problems.

If you have a sudden asthma flare-up, you should use your rescue medication as prescribed by your doctor. See your doctor if your asthma symptoms don’t improve or get worse after starting Tezspire.

Will I still have to take my other asthma medications daily with Tezspire?

Yes, you’ll likely need to keep taking your daily asthma medications while being treated with Tezspire. To read more about other medications you might take with Tezspire, see “Tezspire use with other drugs” below.

Tezspire is a maintenance (long-term) treatment that helps prevent asthma flare-ups. It’s used as an add-on treatment, which means you’ll receive it in combination with your current asthma medications.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend stopping certain other asthma medications if your asthma improves with Tezspire. But you should not make any changes to your asthma treatment, especially any corticosteroids you take, without discussing it with your doctor first. Stopping your other asthma treatments or reducing your doses could make your asthma worse. It could lead to a sudden asthma flare-up.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about taking other asthma medications in combination with Tezspire.