AstraZeneca's Fasenra, an injectable treatment for severe asthma, has been hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attacks. Recent studies have shown that Fasenra is more effective than the traditional oral steroid prednisolone, reducing the need for further treatment by 30%. This marks the first significant advancement in asthma and COPD treatment in 50 years.

The study, led by researchers from King's College London and published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, involved 158 patients in the UK who were at high risk of asthma or COPD attacks. The trial demonstrated that a higher single dose of benralizumab, the active ingredient in Fasenra, could be very effective if injected at the time of a flare-up. This approach was found to be more effective than the current standard care of steroid tablets.

Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets eosinophils, a type of white blood cell associated with lung inflammation. The study found that after 28 days, respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness were significantly improved in patients treated with benralizumab. After 90 days, there were four times fewer treatment failures in the benralizumab group compared to those receiving steroids.

The findings suggest that Fasenra could be a game-changer for patients with asthma and COPD, potentially allowing for treatment at home or in a GP practice, reducing hospitalizations and improving quality of life. The study was sponsored by the University of Oxford and funded by AstraZeneca, although the company had no input into the trial design or analysis.

This breakthrough is particularly significant given that asthma and COPD exacerbations cause nearly four million deaths worldwide each year, and treatment options have remained largely unchanged for decades. The success of Fasenra in this trial offers hope for millions of patients suffering from these chronic conditions.