Highlights from the ISAR Industry Symposium

Expanding Global Collaboration in Severe Asthma: Highlights from the ISAR Industry Symposium

On 27 September 2025, the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR) hosted its first industry-wide symposium, welcoming representatives from multiple countries, leading pharmaceutical companies, and research organisations. This milestone event marked ISAR’s transition from a single industry funded initiative to a truly global, multi-partner collaboration.

Driving Impact Through Data and Research

ISAR’s reach now includes 258 sites from 29 sites and 35,000 patients, with new countries continuing to join the ISAR network. The registry’s robust governance ensures each country retains ownership of its data, while de-identified patient-level data is shared for approved research purposes. All studies are pre-registered with the EMA, and data collection has been streamlined to 59 core variables, improving both quality and efficiency.

Over the past year, ISAR has produced 24 high-impact publications, influencing clinical guidelines and payer discussions worldwide. Key findings include:

• The burden and characteristics of severe asthma across diverse populations, read Full Publication

• The prevalence and treatment response of eosinophilic phenotypes, read Full Publication

• The importance of early specialist referral for hidden severe asthma in primary care, read Full Publication

• Evidence supporting biologics in reducing steroid use and associated comorbidities, read Full Publication I & Full Publication II 

Practice Change and Innovation

ISAR is actively working to standardise data collection in clinical care, with a current focus on eliminating long-term oral corticosteroid (OCS) use. New data tools and dashboards are being rolled out to support this initiative.

Collaboration and Funding Opportunities

With funding beyond 2026 a priority, ISAR is opening its doors to more industry partners. A new global characterisation study is proposed, leveraging data from all 29 registries. Opportunities for collaboration include:

• Data access to longitudinal registry data (including PROs) for research on early intervention, biologic evaluation, and regional insights

• Cutting-edge, high impact publications led by the global experts in severe asthma

• Access to a global network of over 250 experienced clinical trial sites, including those with a unique link to primary care in certain regions

• Access to and supporting data driven local, regional and global educational workshops and certified centres of excellence from across the globe.

• Practice change programmes to optimise time to diagnosis, treatment and adherence

Core funding contributors will have the opportunity to join the ISAR steering committee, influence research priorities, and receive preferential data access rates.

Looking Ahead

The goal for ISAR is to continue beyond 2026 by continuing to bring in data from our existing network while also expanding our reach beyond 29 countries. We welcome additional funding to support this goal. ISAR’s future research plans include conducting a new global characterisation study and also exploring biobanking capabilities and supporting bespoke safety studies. ISAR will also look to focus on the ability to support clinical trial recruitment through the existing network and the unique ability to link in data from primary care across numerous ISAR countries.