Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN), a multinational biopharmaceutical company, has this week announced results from a Phase IIa proof-of-concept trial for its anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) biologic, Tezspire (tezepelumab), in patients with moderate-to-very-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The trial indicated that Tezspire reduced the annualized rate of moderate or severe exacerbations by 17% compared to a placebo.
The efficacy of the drug was observed to be eosinophil level-dependent, with a more pronounced benefit of 37% observed in a subgroup of patients with a baseline eosinophil count (BEC) of 150 cells/μl or higher. In patients with a BEC of 300 cells/μL or above, the benefit was even more significant. According to a press release, the development of Tezspire is being conducted in collaboration with AstraZeneca (NASDAQ: AZN). TSLP is a cytokine derived from epithelial cells that plays a crucial role in the initiation of type 2 inflammation through both innate and acquired immune responses. Tezspire was previously granted approval for the treatment of severe asthma in the U.S. in December 2021.- Flcube.com
