A game-changing treatment for asthma – developed using animal research – can now be used routinely to manage asthma attacks, marking the first new treatment for the condition in 50 years.
The monoclonal antibody benralizumab (sold under the name Fasenra) was previously only used for severe asthma in emergency situations, but now, an international team, led by King’s College London, UK, has made a breakthrough in finding that it can also treat more routine asthma attacks as well as the lung condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In the trial, involving 158 people at high risk of asthma, an injection of benralizumab improved respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and breathlessness, after 28 days. It was also a more effective treatment after 90 days compared to people who instead received steroid tablets.
Presently, steroid tablets are the only asthma medication available for those at high risk, but have limited effectiveness for some people and can lead to diabetes and osteoporosis.
Study lead Mona Bafadhel, at King’s, said: “This could be a game-changer… We hope these pivotal studies will change how asthma and COPD exacerbations are treated for the future, ultimately improving the health for over a billion people living with asthma and COPD across the world.”
The development of benralizumab involved animal research at different stages, and the monoclonal antibodies were themselves derived from mice, that have been modified (or humanised) to prevent the antibodies being rejected by the human body. Safety tests for human use were also assessed in monkeys.
The antibodies are then produced for use as an asthma drug using Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells – a common technique to generate proteins, for example as pharmaceuticals.