AstraZeneca PLC Sponsored ADR (AZN.US) The star asthma drug Fasenra failed to reach primary endpoints in late-stage COPD studies.

Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR (AZN.US) said on Wednesday that its asthma drug Fasenra failed to control the rate of acute attacks in a late-stage study on patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, also known as "smoker's lung"). This setback in the company's efforts to address this serious lung disease. Fasenra is the second best-selling respiratory and immunology drug of Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR. Sales of the drug reached $920 million in the first half of 2025, an 18% increase year-on-year. Patients participating in the Fasenra trial were current smokers or former smokers receiving existing treatments, with a history of at least two acute attacks in the previous year. Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR stated that compared to the placebo, Fasenra did not meet the primary endpoint in the study and added that a thorough analysis of the complete study data will be conducted to better understand the results. According to the data, Fasenra is a first-in-class IL-5R monoclonal antibody developed by Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR, which has been approved for additional maintenance treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) in more than 80 countries including the United States, Japan, the European Union, and China. It is also approved for SEA treatment in children aged 6 and above in the United States and Japan. The drug is also approved in more than 60 countries for the treatment of adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), with indications for hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) currently undergoing regulatory review. Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR executive Sharon Barr said, "COPD remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, it is a complex and heterogeneous disease. We will continue to progress with other promising solutions in our R&D pipeline to meet the unmet needs of patients." The company's other drugs for treating COPD include its triple combination inhaler Breztri Aerosphere and the investigational drug tozorakimab. Furthermore, Astrazeneca PLC Sponsored ADR announced that its rare disease drug Saphnelo successfully met the primary endpoint in a late-stage clinical trial, significantly reducing the activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (a chronic autoimmune disease).