AstraZeneca writes off its second pivotal COPD trial for Fasenra, killing expansion plans
You can write off any upside AstraZeneca’s respiratory drug Fasenra (benralizumab) may have had left on COPD.
The drug, approved last fall for a severe form of asthma, just failed the second of two Phase III studies, providing some definitive proof that it can’t help COPD patients — or offer added relief to AstraZeneca’s $AZN suffering bottom line.
The setback will offer added encouragement to GlaxoSmithKline $GSK, which has been aggressively expanding its work with the rival first-in-class drug Nucala, which is now looking to add a COPD approval — even though it only scored mixed results in Phase III. Fasenra also competes with Cinqair from Teva and Xolair from Novartis
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