First new treatment for asthma and COPD in half a century—new study
Medical Xpress November 29, 2024
Every 30 seconds, someone in the world will experience a flare-up of their asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms. For decades, the standard treatment for these potentially life-threatening episodes has remained unchanged—treatment with steroids, such as prednisolone.
Unfortunately, these drugs don’t work for everyone and they have significant levels of serious side-effects. Nearly one-third of patients treated with steroids will see their symptoms worsen again within a month, requiring more treatment and increasing the risk of side-effects.
But what if there was a better option?
Our latest study, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, has revealed that a drug called benralizumab—administered as an injection—may be the breakthrough that we have been waiting for. The results suggest that this...