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New Drug Shows Promise in Preventing Severe Asthma and COPD Flare-Ups

Hope for millions of Americans living with asthma and COPD may be on the horizon. A groundbreaking clinical trial has found a potential game-changer in the form of an antibody drug, benralizumab, which has shown remarkable success in preventing and reducing the severity of asthma and COPD flare-ups.

This ray of hope emerges after decades without significant advancements in treating these potentially life-threatening respiratory conditions. Previous treatment primarily relied on steroids, which often prove insufficient and can carry unpleasant side-effects.

“This could be a game-changer for people with asthma and COPD. Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in fifty years despite causing 3.8 million deaths worldwide a year combined,” said lead researcher Mona Bafadhel, a professor at King College London’s Center for Lung Health. “[We] hope these pivotal studies will change how asthma and COPD exacerbations are treated for the future, ultimately improving the health for over a billion people living with asthma and COPD across the world.”

Targeting the Root Cause:

Benralizumab targets a specific type of white blood cell called eosinophils, which play a key role in triggering asthma and COPD attacks in many individuals. While eosinophils normally defend the body against infections, in some people they become overactive, leading to inflammation and breathing difficulties.

The study, conducted by researchers in the UK, Australia, and Sweden, involved 158 patients with a recent history of severe asthma or COPD flare-ups. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either steroids (prednisolone), benralizumab alone, or a combination of both treatments.

Promising Results:

Over the subsequent 28 days, those who received benralizumab reported significant improvement in their symptoms and overall quality of life compared to those treated with steroids alone.

Furthermore, the benralizumab group experienced a lower rate of treatment failure over a 90-day period (45% vs. 74% for the steroid group). They also required less frequent doctor visits and hospitalizations. These findings, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, are a significant step forward in the fight against these chronic respiratory conditions.

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The Path Towards Approval:**

While this phase II trial offers compelling evidence, larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these results and pave the way for FDA approval. The good news is that benralizumab is already approved to treat severe eosinophilic asthma in other populations. This existing approval may potentially accelerate the process for these new indications.

This year alone, the FDA greenlit the drug for children aged 6 to 11 with severe asthma and for another eosinophil-related condition.

If benralizumab proves successful in these future trials, it holds the potential to transform the lives of millions of Americans living with asthma and COPD.

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