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In France, three million people suffer from chronic bronchitis, a respiratory disease that does not regress. But the French laboratory Sanofi announces that one of its drugs is capable of greatly reducing symptoms and improving the quality of life of patients.
Living better with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also called chronic bronchitis or smoker’s disease, may be possible tomorrow, thanks to a treatment, Dupixent. On March 23, the Sanofi laboratory announced that its drug, a monoclonal antibody already active against asthma and eczema, has reached all its evaluation criteria in a phase III trial against lung disease. .
30% less symptoms thanks to Dupixent
The trial involved 939 adult smokers or ex-smokers, aged 40 to 80, who received either Dupixent or placebo plus maximum standard inhaled therapy.
The active substance in Dupixent, dupilumab, is a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein) designed to block the action of receptors (targets) for the proteins IL-4 and IL-13, which are usually activated by certain pathologies with this inflammatory component. By blocking these receptors, dupilumab inhibits the action of the IL-4 and IL-13 proteins and relieves the symptoms of the disease. Dupixent has been approved in one or more countries for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, asthma, nasal polyposis, eosinophilic esophagitis or nodular prurigo in certain categories of patients of different ages.
According to the laboratory’s announcement, the trial carried out in collaboration with the American biotech Regeneron, also led to a 30% reduction in moderate or severe acute exacerbations of COPD. Significant improvements in respiratory function, quality of life and respiratory symptoms due to COPD were also observed. A second test, with results expected in 2024, should confirm this very encouraging result.
Concrete hope for COPD patients
Today, the laboratory is pleased with this good result “We took a bold approach by moving directly to phase III trials, which allowed us to shorten the various stages of clinical development by several years. We look forward to presenting these unprecedented clinical results which, in more power to potentially transform the treatment of this disease, could give hope to patients, caregivers and doctors”aspires Dietmar Berger, medical director at Sanofi.
With these results, Dupixent thus becomes the first and only biological drug to demonstrate significant improvements in quality of life and respiratory symptoms in patients with COPD. No new treatment for this disease had been approved for more than ten years. The current management of this disease, “which does not cure” announces Inserm, is based on the use of short- or long-acting bronchodilators, associated, or not, with corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. local.
COPD is a potentially life-threatening respiratory disease that damages the lungs and leads to a progressive deterioration of respiratory function. Its symptoms include a chronic cough and shortness of breath which can not only affect the ability to perform certain daily activities, but also cause anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. This chronic respiratory disease is mainly linked to smoking (active or passive).