COVID-19 in a Patient With Severe Eosinophilic Asthma on Benralizumab Therapy: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can develop eosinopenia. Eosinophils have various functions, including immunoregulation and antiviral activity, in addition to modulation of an inflammatory reaction. Benralizumab is an anti-interleukin-5Rα monoclonal antibody that selectively depletes eosinophils through enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Whether eosinophil depletion affects COVID-19 prognosis is yet to be elucidated. Here, we present a case of a 60-year-old patient with severe asthma on benralizumab therapy, who tested positive for an acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The patient experienced an asymptomatic COVID-19 course without deterioration of asthma control. Eosinophil depletion did not contribute to a deterioration of the clinical status. Comorbidities play a major role in the severity of COVID-19 in patients with asthma. The findings of our case and a literature review revealed that benralizumab therapy is not associated with a significant negative impact on the disease course in COVID-19 patients.