AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN) shares climbed 2.8% on Friday after the company reported that its experimental therapy tozorakimab achieved the primary endpoint in two Phase III trials targeting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The pharmaceutical group released the findings from the OBERON and TITANIA studies on Thursday. The trials showed that tozorakimab significantly lowered the annualised rate of moderate-to-severe COPD flare-ups compared with placebo, both in the key group of former smokers and across the broader patient population.
According to AstraZeneca, the treatment was generally well tolerated and demonstrated a favourable safety profile during the studies.
Tozorakimab is a monoclonal antibody designed to target interleukin-33 (IL-33), blocking signalling from both the reduced and oxidised forms of the protein. The trials evaluated the therapy in patients who continued to experience COPD exacerbations despite receiving inhaled standard treatments. Participants were given either 300 mg of tozorakimab or a placebo every four weeks alongside standard care.
COPD affects nearly 400 million people worldwide and ranks as the third leading cause of death globally. More than half of patients still suffer exacerbations even while receiving inhaled standard therapies, increasing their risk of serious cardiopulmonary complications and death.
Across the two trials, 2,306 patients were enrolled regardless of their blood eosinophil levels, smoking history or stage of lung function impairment. Researchers assessed the annualised rate of moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbations over a 52-week treatment period.
AstraZeneca said complete data from the OBERON and TITANIA trials will be presented at a forthcoming medical conference. Additional Phase III studies of tozorakimab in COPD—PROSPERO and MIRANDA—are currently underway. The therapy is also being evaluated in a Phase III trial for severe viral lower respiratory tract disease and in a Phase II study for asthma.
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