Teva’s new asthma therapy recommended for EU approval

Teva has announced that its new severe eosinophilic asthma therapy Cinqaero has been recommended for approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

The EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion recommending Cinqaero as an add-on therapy for adult patients with inadequately controlled severe eosinophilic asthma.

In clinical trials, the humanised interleukin 5 antagonist monoclonal antibody has been shown to be effective in treating individuals whose symptoms have persisted despite the use of high-dose inhaled corticosteroids plus another medicinal product for maintenance treatment.

This is the first intravenous anti-IL-5 biologic therapy for severe eosinophilic asthma and could provide relief for patients who currently lack an effective treatment avenue.

Dr Rob Koremans, president and chief executive officer of Teva Global Specialty Medicines, said: "It is our hope that we can expand the availability of reslizumab globally and soon bring this important treatment option to a specific group of severe eosinophilic asthma patients in Europe."

This comes after the company agreed to sell some of its generic drug assets to Impax earlier this month.