Depemokimab – a new long-acting treatment for severe asthma: what aspergillosis patients need to know

A new medicine called depemokimab is being reviewed by European and UK regulators as a possible treatment for severe eosinophilic (type-2) asthma. Many people with aspergillosis-related conditions – especially allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and severe asthma with fungal sensitisation (SAFS) – also have this type of inflammation, so new options are always important.

⭐ What is depemokimab?

Depemokimab is a biologic treatment, similar to medicines like mepolizumab or benralizumab, but designed to last much longer in the body. It blocks interleukin-5 (IL-5), one of the key signals that drives eosinophils – a type of white blood cell involved in allergy, asthma and ABPA flares.

⭐ What makes it different?

The most important difference is how rarely it needs to be taken.

Current biologics for type-2 asthma are given every 4, 6 or 8 weeks.
Depemokimab is designed to be taken twice a year – only once every six months.

For many people, this could mean:

  • Fewer injections

  • More steady asthma control

  • Less disruption to daily life

  • A treatment that’s easier to stick with over time

In clinical trials, depemokimab also helped to:

  • Reduce asthma attacks

  • Lower the need for oral steroids

  • Improve symptoms in people with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps, which commonly affects ABPA and SAFS patients

⭐ Is this a treatment for ABPA or CPA?

Not specifically.
Depemokimab is not a treatment for the Aspergillus fungus itself and it does not replace antifungal medicines.

However, for people whose asthma drives their ABPA symptoms, better asthma control can mean:

  • fewer flare-ups

  • better breathing

  • less need for steroids

  • reduced pressure on already damaged airways

So while it is not an antifungal, it may become another option in the toolkit for managing asthma linked to aspergillosis.

⭐ When might this be available in the UK?

Depemokimab is currently under review by European regulators.
In the UK, the NICE appraisal for NHS use is underway, with a decision expected in March 2026.

If approved, it could become available on the NHS sometime in 2026.

⭐ What should patients do now?

At this stage:

  • There is no action needed from patients.

  • Your asthma or ABPA team will be the first to know when new biologics are approved.

  • If you already receive a biologic (e.g., mepolizumab, benralizumab, omalizumab, dupilumab), there is no change to your treatment plan.

  • If you struggle with frequent injections or poor asthma control, your clinician may consider depemokimab in the future once approved.

by GAtherton