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LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - An experimental drug fromAstraZeneca - part of a new wave of injectablerespiratory drugs designed for people who do not respondadequately to traditional inhalers - has shown mixed results inchronic lung disease.
Data published in The Lancet on Monday and being presentedat the European Respiratory Society congress in Munich showedbenralizumab missed its primary goal in a mid-stage Phase IIastudy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The biotech drug did not reduce the rate of serious attacks,known as acute exacerbations, although it did demonstrateclinically significant improvements in lung function.
AstraZeneca already announced in July it was starting afinal-stage Phase III programme for benralizumab in COPD,indicating it sees a future for the drug in treating thedisease, despite the mixed mid-stage data.
Benralizumab is a so-called anti-interleukin-5 antibody drugthat depletes a type of white blood cell involved in lungdisorders. GlaxoSmithKline and Teva PharmaceuticalIndustries are also developing rival products.
Initially the focus of such biotech drugs has been severeasthma but COPD, a disease related to smoking, is another majormarket opportunity - and AstraZeneca hopes to establish a leadover competitors in this area.
"COPD is a highly heterogeneous disease and we are workingto better understand patient subtypes, identify potentialbiomarkers and tailor therapies to achieve the best outcomes forpatients," said Bing Yao, head of respiratory drug developmentat AstraZeneca's MedImmune unit. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Susan Thomas)
