First new asthma attack treatment in 50 years found by King’s College

RESEARCHERS at King’s College London have identified the first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years.

The injection, benralizumab, targets an overactive immune response during flare-ups of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reported the BBC.

Currently used for severe asthma cases, the drug could potentially treat around two million flare-ups in the UK annually.

The study, involving 158 patients, monitored their progress for three months after treatment.

Published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, the findings showed a treatment failure rate of 74 per cent with steroids compared to 45 per cent with benralizumab.

Patients on the new therapy were less likely to be hospitalised, require additional treatment, or die.

Professor Mona Bafadhel from King’s College called the drug a “game-changer,” noting it could revolutionise care by matching treatments to specific immune responses, the BBC reported.

Benralizumab works by targeting eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that contributes to inflammation. Eosinophils are implicated in about half of asthma attacks and a third of COPD episodes.

Trial participants reported improved symptoms and quality of life.

Despite the promising results, larger trials beginning in 2025 will assess its effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Dr Sanjay Ramakrishnan from the University of Oxford called the findings “massively promising,” emphasising the need for better COPD treatments.

Asthma + Lung UK’s Dr Samantha Walker praised the results but criticised the lack of innovation over the last five decades.