AstraZeneca asthma drug misses key marker in late-stage trial
AstraZeneca’s asthma drug failed to significantly improve difficulties swallowing in a late-stage trial, the pharmaceutical giant announced today.
The drug, called Fasenra, met just one of two main goals of a stage III study assessing the treatment’s benefits in a chronic allergic condition that causes difficulty in swallowing.
The condition, eosinophilic esophagitis, is characterised by inflammation and damage to the oesophagus.
While it missed a key marker, Fasenra did help improve the build-up of white blood cells in the esophagus.
The result of the trial came as no surprise and followed that of similar drugs which reduced the eosinophilic count without easing symptoms, said Joseph Jacob, an analyst at intelligence firm Citeline’s pharmaceutical and biotech analysis arm Datamoniter Healthcare.
“The disappointing results could lead to AstraZeneca dropping Fasenra as a treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis, the rare but chronic inflammatory disease the company was, in part, targeting with this trial.
“This is good news for Sanofi’s Dupixent as it continues to remain the only approved agent for eosinophilic esophagitis.”