India November 29, 2024 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau) – A new treatment could be “game-changing” for millions across the world who suffer from asthma and COPD, scientists say.
According to findings of a study, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, are results from a phase 2 clinical trial ABRA, led by scientists from King’s College London, sponsored by the University of Oxford.
It shows that a drug already available can be re-purposed in emergency settings to reduce the need for further treatment and hospitalisations.
This drug, called Benralizamab, is a monoclonal antibody which targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation. It is currently used for the treatment of severe asthma.
The ABRA trial has found a single dose can be more effective when injected at the point of exacerbation compared to steroid tablets.
“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 investigator of the trial Professor Mona Bafadhel from King’s Centre for Lung Health.
“Benralizumab is a safe and effective drug already used to manage severe asthma. We’ve used the drug in a different way, at the point of an exacerbation, to show that it’s more effective than steroid tablets which is the only treatment currently available,” she added.
Traditionally administered by healthcare professionals, benralizumab injection could soon be used in general practices or emergency departments.
Professor Mona Bafadhel expressed hope that the findings will revolutionise asthma and COPD care, benefiting over a billion patients globally.
Dr. Sanjay Ramakrishnan, lead author of the ABRA trial, highlighted the urgent need for advanced COPD treatments, calling the study a significant step forward.
Geoffrey Pointing, 77, who took part of in the study, shared his relief: “Flare-ups are debilitating. The injection allowed me to live normally without the side effects of steroids.”
Dr. Samantha Walker from Asthma + Lung UK called the findings groundbreaking, added that there’s a dire need for lung research funding: “Every four minutes, someone in the UK dies from a lung condition. Together, we can ensure healthier lungs for all. it’s appalling that this is the first new treatment for those suffering from asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years, indicating how desperately underfunded lung health research is.”