AstraZeneca’s Trixeo Aerosphere recommended for approval in the EU

The FINANCIAL — AstraZeneca’s Trixeo Aerosphere (formoterol fumarate/glycopyrronium bromide/budesonide) has been recommended for marketing authorisation in the European Union (EU) for maintenance treatment in adult patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are not adequately treated by a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA), or a combination of a LABA and a long-acting muscarinic antagonist.

Trixeo Aerosphere, a triple-combination therapy, is approved under the brand name Breztri Aerosphere in Japan, China and the US for patients with COPD.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency based its positive opinion on results from the ETHOS Phase III trial in which Trixeo Aerosphere showed a statistically significant reduction in the rate of moderate or severe exacerbations compared with dual-combination therapies Bevespi Aerosphere (glycopyrronium/formoterol fumarate) and PT009 (budesonide/formoterol fumarate) over 52 weeks.

The recommendation for approval was also supported by data from the KRONOS Phase III trial. In both trials, the safety and tolerability of Trixeo Aerosphere were consistent with the profiles of the dual comparators.

Klaus Rabe, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Kiel, Director of the Department of Pneumology at Clinic Grosshansdorf, Germany, Lead Investigator of the ETHOS trial and National Co-ordinating Investigator of the KRONOS Phase III trial, said: “Preventing exacerbations is central to the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as exacerbations may cause irreversible damage and disease progression. The triple-combination therapy, Trixeo Aerosphere, has demonstrated significant benefits in reducing moderate or severe exacerbations in patients suffering from this debilitating disease.”

Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is now the third leading cause of death globally and affects approximately one in 10 adults over the age of 40 in Europe. Trixeo Aerosphere has demonstrated strong clinical benefit when compared with dual-combination therapies and this positive recommendation brings us closer to providing a much-needed new treatment to patients in Europe.”

COPD

COPD is a progressive disease which can cause obstruction of airflow in the lungs resulting in debilitating bouts of breathlessness. It affects an estimated 384 million people and is the third leading cause of death globally. In Europe, approximately 10% of adults over the age of 40 have COPD. Improving lung function, reducing exacerbations and managing daily symptoms such as breathlessness are important treatment goals in the management of COPD. A single COPD exacerbation can have a negative impact on lung function, quality of life and increase the risk of hospitalisation. Additionally, even one COPD exacerbation that results in hospitalisation increases the risk of death.