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A new way of treating serious asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attacks could be a “game changer” and its first leap in treatment in 50 years, researchers say. According to a new study, patients could be given an injection – more effective than the current care of steroid tablets which cuts the need for further treatment by 30 per cent.

Benralizumab – a monoclonal antibody specifically targets white blood cells known as eosinophils which reduce lung inflammation. Currently, it is used as a repeat treatment for severe asthma at a low dose, but a new clinical trial has found that a higher single dose can be extremely effective if injected at the time of a flare-up.

The report, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, actively involved around 160 of those who needed immediate medical attention in A&E for their asthma or a COPD attack – which causes breathing difficulties.

Patients were first given blood tests to find out the type of attacks they were having - with those suffering an eosinophilic exacerbation involving a kind of white blood cell, being suitable for treatment.

Scientists say around 50 per cent of asthma attacks are eosinophilic exacerbations, as are 30 per cent of COPD ones. The clinical trial, led by King’s College London and carried out at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, saw patients randomly split into three groups.

Scientists injected one group with benralizumab injection and dummy tablets, while another received standard care which included prednisolone steroids 30mg daily for five days along with a dummy injection. The third group received both the benralizumab injection and steroids.

After 28 days, respiratory symptoms of cough, wheezing, breathlessness, and sputum were found to be better in people on benralizumab. And after 90 days, there were four times fewer people in the benralizumab group who failed treatment compared with those receiving steroids. Researchers said treatment with the benralizumab injection also took longer to fail, meaning fewer visits to a GP or hospital for patients.

Furthermore, people also reported a better quality of life under the new regime.

According to scientists, steroids lead to severe side effects like increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis, which means switching to benralizumab which provides huge benefits. “This could be a game-changer for people with asthma and COPD. Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in 50 years, despite causing 3.8 million deaths worldwide a year combined. Benralizumab is a safe and effective drug already used to manage severe asthma,” said lead investigator Professor Mona Bafadhel, from King’s.

“We’ve used the drug in a different way – at the point of exacerbation – to show that it is more effective than steroid tablets, which is the only treatment currently available,” she added.

Researchers said benralizumab could also potentially be administered safely at home or in a GP practice, as well as in A&E.

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