AstraZeneca PLC on Monday said an independent data monitoring committee recommended an early trial stop for its medication Airsupra due to overwhelming efficacy at pre-planned analysis for the treatment of asthma.

The Cambridge, England-based pharmaceutical company said phase 3b of the Batura trial results showed Airsupra demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in the risk of severe exacerbation when used as an as-needed rescue medication in response to asthma symptoms compared to as-needed albuterol. Airsupra is a combination of albuterol and budesonide.

‘The impressive Batura trial results add to the body of evidence supporting Airsupra as a first-in-class rescue treatment and its role in reducing the risk of asthma exacerbations in patients regardless of their disease severity, and reducing the need for systemic corticosteroids,’ said Sharon Barr, executive vice-president, BioPharmaceuticals research & development at AstraZeneca.

The company said an independent data monitoring committee recommended the trial to stop early due to ‘overwhelming efficacy at pre-planned analysis.’

James Donohue, emeritus professor of Pulmonary Medicine, University of North Carolina, and chair of the independent data monitoring committee said: ‘People with asthma are at risk of severe exacerbations regardless of their disease severity or level of control. By focusing on patients with intermittent or mild persistent asthma, the strong Batura trial results further demonstrate the clinically meaningful benefit of an anti-inflammatory rescue approach to reduce the risk of severe exacerbations by treating both symptoms and inflammation at the same time.’

AstraZeneca shares were 0.2% lower at 11,716.00 pence each on Monday morning in London.

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