AstraZeneca stock jumps after surprise lung disease trial win
AstraZenecaIts shares rose nearly 5% after Britain’s most valuable company said its experimental lung disease drug had met its target in two late-stage clinical trials.
The company said its respiratory therapy torokimab reduces exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared to placebo in both former smokers and the general population.
“This marks a remarkable shift in sensitivity given the limited understanding of the IL-33 mechanism following previous IL-33 failures. sanofi And Roche” said Jefferies analysts.
Tozorakimab and rival drugs belong to a class of treatments called monoclonal antibodies. They work by suppressing the action of the protein interleukin-33 (IL-33) and may reduce inflammation.
“Today’s torakimab results represent the first of two confirmatory Phase III trials for the IL-33 biologic, a significant scientific advance in COPD, the world’s third leading cause of death,” said Sharon Barr, executive vice president, biopharmaceuticals and R&D, AstraZeneca.
“Tozorakimab works in a fundamentally different way than other biologics; it blocks the signaling of reduced and oxidized forms of IL-33, both reducing inflammation and disrupting the cycle of mucus dysfunction that are key disease drivers in COPD,” Barr said. he said.
AstraZeneca said the full results will be announced at an upcoming medical meeting.
In July, Swiss drugmaker Roche reported mixed results for its COPD drug astegolimab. It failed to reduce flare-ups in a phase 3 study. It is designed to stop the binding of IL-33, similar to tozorakimab.
Two months ago France’s Sanofi reported similarly mixed results for itepekimab, the drug co-developed with Regeneration.
AstraZeneca’s London-listed shares were last seen rising 4.7% in mid-day, contrasting with the rise in the UK. FTSE100 The index fell 0.4 percent. Astra’s Friday update also boosted shares of Roche and Sanofi by about 1%.
Billion dollar potential
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 400 million people are diagnosed with COPD, and it is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
It is a progressive respiratory disease characterized by shortness of breath, chronic cough and excessive mucus production. Symptoms may worsen over time and contribute to ongoing inflammation and bronchoconstriction, making breathing difficult and increasing the risk of COPD exacerbations.
AstraZeneca estimates peak annual sales of torokimab will be between $3 billion and $5 billion, according to FactSet, while average estimates suggest peak sales will be about $1 billion ahead of Friday’s trial results.
Trial results showed a benefit for both former and current smokers at all lung function severities.
It also provides a benefit for patients with low amounts of a type of white blood cell called eosinophils, a significant unmet need for about 35% of patients, Citi analysts noted.
Tozorakimab is also being studied in a Phase 3 trial for severe viral lower respiratory disease and a Phase 2 trial in asthma.
Astra plans to launch more than 20 new drugs over the next five years and is targeting annual sales of $80 billion by 2030.
