AstraZeneca’s New COPD Drug Cuts Lung Attacks by Around 30% in Late-Stage Trials

LONDON, Sept 9: AstraZeneca’s experimental treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has demonstrated significant benefits in two late-stage clinical trials, raising hopes for a new option for patients living with the chronic respiratory condition.

The pharmaceutical company’s drug, tozorakimab, reduced moderate and severe COPD exacerbations by around 30 per cent compared with standard therapy, according to data released on Tuesday.

The treatment showed benefits across different groups of patients. Among those with the highest levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell associated with inflammation, the reduction in flare-ups was 43 per cent. Patients with lower eosinophil levels recorded a 23 per cent reduction.

Researchers also reported that the medicine reduced mucus plugging in the lungs, a complication that can contribute to breathing difficulties in people with COPD. The drug was generally well tolerated during the trials.

COPD is a progressive lung disease that can cause persistent breathing difficulties, coughing and increased susceptibility to respiratory flare-ups. Exacerbations can significantly affect quality of life and may require hospital treatment in severe cases.

AstraZeneca said the results support the potential of tozorakimab to benefit a broad population rather than only patients with a particular biological profile. The company is also studying the medicine for asthma and viral respiratory illnesses.

The US Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review to the company’s application for the treatment, with a decision expected in the first quarter of 2027.

The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress.

Further regulatory review and real world evidence will determine whether the medicine can become a widely available treatment for people with COPD.