In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers have revealed that a new drug called dupilumab can effectively treat people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and type 2 inflammation. This drug worked effectively and showed rapid improvements in these patients’ health during the phase 3 trial. The data of drug will be checked and reviewed by The United States Food and Drug Administration in June. Â
In this study, researchers focused people with COPD and type 2 inflammation. They involved 935 patients who had COPD and type 2 inflammation. Then they randomly divided them into two groups such as the dupilumab group and the placebo group. The dupilumab group consisted of 470 patients and the placebo group consisted of 465 patients who took dupilumab and placebo drug respectively. These patients were aged between 40 to 85. Researchers tracked these patients for 52 weeks and collected the data.Â
When researchers observed the collected data, they found that dupilumab drug greatly reduced the number of serious COPD cases as compared to placebo pills. This was seen 12 weeks after they started taking dupilumab drug and the effect was the same for 52 weeks of the study. But the number of adverse events was the same for both groups. This matched the known safety profile of dupilumab. They also found that dupilumab reduced the risk of serious flare-ups and improved lung function. It can be the best medicine to treat such patients as it reduces symptoms in COPD patients with type 2 inflammation. Â
One of the reputed doctors said that serious flare-ups of COPD affect the quality of life and increase the risk of hospitalization and even death. But this drug effectively reduced these severe flare-ups and improved lung functions. So, this drug can reduce this risk in patients with COPD and type 2 inflammation.Â
The results of this study were presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in San Diego, California, in May 2024. These results clearly show that dupilumab drug effectively works for people with COPD and type 2 inflammation. So, healthcare professionals should prescribe this drug to them to reduce the risk of death and other health complications. Â
Reference Link:Â
Surya P. Bhatt et al, Dupilumab for COPD with Blood Eosinophil Evidence of Type 2 Inflammation, New England Journal of Medicine (2024).Â
