On Nov. 28, 2024, scientists from King’s College London reported that an injection given during some asthma and COPD attacks is more effective than the current treatment of steroid tablets, reducing the need for further treatment by 30%.

Asthma attacks and COPD flare-ups (also called exacerbations) can be deadly. Every day in the UK four people with asthma and 85 people with COPD will tragically die. Both conditions are also very common, in the United Kingdom someone has an asthma attack every 10 seconds. Treatment at the point of an exacerbation for this type of asthma has barely changed for over fifty years, with steroid drugs being the mainstay of medication. Results from the phase two clinical trial ABRA study, led by scientists from King’s College London and sponsored by the University of Oxford, show a drug already available can be re-purposed in emergency settings to reduce the need for further treatment and hospitalisations.

Benralizamab is a monoclonal antibody which targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation. It is currently used for the treatment of severe asthma. The ABRA trial found a single dose can be more effective when injected at the point of exacerbation compared to steroid tablets. Treatment with the benralizumab injection took longer to fail, meaning fewer episodes to see a doctor or go to hospital. There was also an improvement in the quality of life for people with asthma and COPD.