AstraZeneca drug misses goal in severe COPD but improves lung function

LONDON (Reuters) - An experimental drug from AstraZeneca - part of a new wave of injectable respiratory drugs designed for people who do not respond adequately to traditional inhalers - has shown mixed results in chronic lung disease. Data published in The Lancet on Monday and being presented at the European Respiratory Society congress in Munich showed benralizumab missed its primary goal in a mid-stage Phase IIa study in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The biotech drug did not reduce the rate of serious attacks, known as acute exacerbations, although it did demonstrate clinically significant improvements in lung function. AstraZeneca already announced in July it was starting a final-stage Phase III program for benralizumab in COPD, indicating it sees a future for the drug in treating the disease, despite the mixed mid-stage data. Benralizumab is a so-called anti-interleukin-5 antibody drug that depletes a type of white blood cell involved in lung disorders. GlaxoSmithKline and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries are also developing rival products. Initially the focus of such biotech drugs has been severe asthma but COPD, a disease related to smoking, is another major market opportunity - and AstraZeneca hopes to establish a lead over competitors in this area. “COPD is a highly heterogeneous disease and we are working to better understand patient subtypes, identify potential biomarkers and tailor therapies to achieve the best outcomes for patients,” said Bing Yao, head of respiratory drug development at AstraZeneca's MedImmune unit. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Susan Thomas)