Landmark Discovery in Asthma and COPD Treatment Celebrated by Medical Community

Published Date: November 27, 2024

A recent trial has found that offering patients an injection of benralizumab is more effective than the current care of steroid tablets for treating serious asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attacks. This breakthrough marks the first new treatment for these conditions in 50 years.

Quotes

• “This could be a gamechanger for people with asthma and COPD.” – Prof Mona Bafadhel

• “Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in 50 years, despite causing 3.8m deaths worldwide a year combined.” – Prof Mona Bafadhel

• “Benralizumab is a safe and effective drug already used to manage severe asthma. We’ve used the drug in a different way – at the point of an exacerbation – to show that it’s more effective than steroid tablets, which is the only treatment currently available.” – Prof Mona Bafadhel

• “Our study shows massive promise for asthma and COPD treatment.” – Dr Sanjay Ramakrishnan

• “It’s appalling that this is the first new treatment for those suffering from asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years, indicating how desperately underfunded lung health research is.” – Dr Samantha Walker

Additional Information

• The trial was carried out at Oxford University hospitals NHS foundation trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS foundation trust.

• About 50% of asthma attacks are eosinophilic exacerbations, as are 30% of COPD attacks, according to the scientists.

• Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation.

Key Findings

• The trial, led by King’s College London, involved 158 patients who needed medical attention in A&E for their asthma or COPD attack.

• Patients were given a quick blood test to determine what type of attack they were experiencing. Those suffering an “eosinophilic exacerbation” were suitable for treatment with benralizumab.

• The trial found that offering patients an injection of benralizumab was more effective than the current care of steroid tablets, cutting the need for further treatment by 30%.

• After 28 days, respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, breathlessness, and sputum were found to be better in those on benralizumab.

• After 90 days, there were four times fewer people in the benralizumab group who failed treatment compared with those receiving steroids.

Context

• “This could be a gamechanger for people with asthma and COPD. Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in 50 years, despite causing 3.8m deaths worldwide a year combined.” – Prof Mona Bafadhel, lead investigator

• “Our study shows massive promise for asthma and COPD treatment. COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide but treatment for the condition is stuck in the 20th century. We need to provide these patients with life-saving options before their time runs out.” – Dr Sanjay Ramakrishnan, clinical senior lecturer at the University of Western Australia

• “It’s appalling that this is the first new treatment for those suffering from asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years, indicating how desperately underfunded lung health research is.” – Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and innovation at Asthma and Lung UK

Impact

• The results of this trial could be transformative for millions of people with asthma and COPD around the world.

• Treatment with benralizumab injection also took longer to fail, meaning fewer visits to a GP or hospital for patients.

• People reported a better quality of life on the new regime.

• Scientists said steroids could have severe side-effects such as increasing the risk of diabetes and osteoporosis.