Benralizumab, an injectable treatment, dampens a part of the immune system that triggers bronchial asthma and a condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Benralizumab is already used in the most severe cases of asthma, but the latest research suggests that it could be used as a routine treatment for asthma attacks.
The discovery made by a research team from King's College in London stemmed from the fact that not all asthma or COPD attacks are the same. In fact, different parts of the immune system react excessively in different patients, as reported by BBC.
Benralizumab targets certain white blood cells in the blood - eosinophils - that can cause inflammation and lung damage. Eosinophils are involved in about half of asthma attacks and a third of COPD attacks.
Currently, if such an attack - involving breathing difficulties, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness - cannot be controlled with regular inhalers, doctors prescribe steroid treatment.
However, long-term use of steroids is associated with side effects, including weight gain, diabetes, and weak bones.
The study conducted on 158 individuals monitored patients for three months after the administered treatment for a crisis.
Results published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine indicated a treatment failure rate of 74% when patients took steroids and 45% for those who followed the new therapy.
Individuals treated with the new therapy were less likely to be hospitalized, need a new round of treatment, or die. They also experienced improved symptoms and better quality of life.
The research team said that the drug could revolutionize the treatment of asthma crises after 50 years without a change in asthma management. "It will revolutionize how we treat people when they are not really well," said Prof. Mona Bafadhel from King's.
However, Benralizumab still cannot be widely used. A broader process, set to begin in 2025 and last two years, will be needed to fully demonstrate its benefits. Nonetheless, anyone already receiving this medication should continue to follow the prescription.
The study will also need to analyze cost-effectiveness, as monoclonal antibody therapies, like this treatment, are expensive.
Nevertheless, the work done so far shows "tremendous promise," as COPD treatment has remained stuck in the 20th century, despite being one of the leading causes of death worldwide, said Dr. Sanjay Ramakrishnan from the University of Oxford.
It is estimated that four people with bronchial asthma and 85 people with COPD die every day in the UK.
T.D.