AstraZeneca reports positive asthma trial data for benralizumab

AstraZeneca has announced new clinical trial data showing how its biologic respiratory medicine benralizumab can offer benefits in the treatment of severe asthma.

Results from the pivotal phase III trials SIROCCO and CALIMA have been presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress, showing that the addition of benralizumab to standard-of-care medicine significantly reduced exacerbations and improved lung function and asthma symptoms in severe asthma patients with an eosinophilic phenotype.

The annual rate of asthma exacerbations was cut by up to 51 percent, while lung function improvements were observed within four weeks of the first benralizumab dose and sustained throughout the treatment period.

Improvements in symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath were also observed, meaning the drug met all of its primary and key secondary endpoints in these pivotal trials.

Data from these trials will be included in regulatory submissions for benralizumab planned for the US and EU later this year.

Sean Bohen, executive vice-president for global medicines development and chief medical officer at AstraZeneca, said: "Benralizumab has a unique way of working in patients with severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype and reflects AstraZeneca's progress in bringing the next generation of respiratory medicines to patients."

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