After years of limited progress in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), patients now have new options.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:REGN) et Sanofi SA (NASDAQ: SNY) recently received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their drug Dupixent for the treatment of COPD, marking the drug’s sixth indication in the United States since its first use for the treatment of atopic dermatitis seven years ago.
This expansion positions Dupixent as the first targeted therapy for COPD, a significant step forward in treating this progressive lung condition that hampers breathing due to obstructed airflow.
COPD often manifests as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, usually developing after prolonged exposure to irritating substances such as cigarette smoke, air pollution or occupational dust.
Also read: Regeneron’s Dupixent COPD Sales To Reach $20B By 2026, Analyst Sees Larger Addressable Market
The disease affects millions of people around the world, as noted a DelveInsight analysis dated 2023, which has reported approximately 44 million cases diagnosed in seven major markets, with projections for continued growth at a TAC of 1.4% through 2034.
Management of COPD usually involves medications such as bronchodilators, which make breathing easier by relaxing the muscles in the airways.
These medications, often used in inhalers, may include steroids to reduce inflammation in severe cases. Common options include short-acting and long-acting bronchodilators such as albuterol, ipratropium, and aclidinium. LABAs and LAMAs are also common, with combinations such as LABA + ICS (e.g. Symbicort fromAstraZeneca Plc (NASDAQ: AZN), and Advice de GSK Plc (NYSE: GSK)) and LABA + LAMA (for example, GSK’s Anoro Ellipta, and GSK’s Stiolto Respimat Boehringer Ingelheim)) available for full treatment.
The introduction of Dupixent changes the treatment landscape by specifically targeting type 2 inflammation pathways (IL-4 and IL-13), which play a role in COPD patients with elevated eosinophils and prone to exacerbations frequent.
The phase 3 BOREAS trial demonstrated that DUPIXENT reduced moderate to severe exacerbations by 30% over 52 weeks, and improved lung function, with an increase in FEV before bronchodilation of 160 ml compared to 77 ml in the placebo group.
The drug also had a favorable safety profile, indicating its potential to be a game-changer for people with type 2 inflammation.
In addition, other treatments are being developed to complement this treatment, including the mid-phase drug itepekimab from Sanofi/Regeneron, benralizumab from AstraZeneca, tezepelumab fromAmgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) / AstraZeneca, et le mepolizumab de GSK.
On Wednesday, Regeneron announced that new, updated data from its hematology pipeline will be presented in 23 abstracts at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.
Price movement On Wednesday, REGN closed down 0.98%, at $812.92.
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