Eligibility criteria for the three currently licensed biologics, based on manufacturers’ recommendations
| Biologics | Licensed eligibility criteria |
| Omalizumab | 1. Age ≥6 years |
| 2. Uncontrolled asthma with frequent symptoms and multiple documented severe asthma exacerbations despite daily high-dose inhaled corticosteroids, plus a long-acting inhaled β-agonist# | |
| 3. IgE mediated asthma (positive skin-prick test and/or raised specific IgE). | |
| 4. For age ≥12 years, reduced lung function (FEV1<80%) | |
| 5. Total IgE over 30 and up to 700 or 1300 IU·mL−1 according to age | |
| Mepolizumab | 1. Age ≥6 years |
| 2. Baseline blood eosinophils ≥150 cells·μL−1 | |
| 3. ≥2 exacerbations a year (systemic corticosteroids use, unplanned medical visits/hospital admissions) | |
| Dupilumab | 1. Aged ≥12 years |
| 2. Eosinophilic/type 2 asthma | |
| 3. Or, oral corticosteroid dependent or with comorbid moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis |
#: We defined uncontrolled asthma as an asthma control test score of ≤19, or “partly controlled/uncontrolled” using the Global Initiative for Asthma assessment questions, or having ≥2 exacerbations a year, or a combination. FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s.