Third positive pivotal phase-III clinical trial of AstraZeneca’s IL-33-targeting biologic further demonstrates its benefits in COPD.

Positive high-level results from phase-III MIRANDA trial showed potential first-in-class tozorakimab demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in the annualised rate of moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbations in the primary population of former smokers and in the overall population, which included former and current smokers, and patients across all blood eosinophil counts and all stages of lung function severity.

In MIRANDA, patients received tozorakimab 300 mg or placebo on top of standard of care once every two weeks. The trial enrolled patients with COPD still experiencing moderate-to-severe exacerbations while on inhaled standard of care. These results follow an announcement in March of the positive high-level results from the phase-III OBERON and TITANIA trials studying tozorakimab at a four-week dosing interval.

Frank Sciurba, MD, FCCP, Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Chief Investigator of LUNA programme said, “These results add to the growing body of evidence that indicates tozorakimab delivered meaningful clinical benefits for COPD patients who urgently need new treatment options. Up to half of patients today still experience exacerbations even when taking standard-of-care inhaled therapies, putting them at risk of serious health consequences including hospitalisation and even death.”

Sharon Barr, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, said, “These data further demonstrate tozorakimab’s exciting potential as a first-in-class biologic with a truly differentiated mechanism of action that inhibits the signalling of the reduced and oxidised forms of IL-33 to address underlying drivers of COPD. We look forward to sharing the data with regulators and the scientific community as soon as possible.”

Tozorakimab was generally well tolerated with a favorable safety profile consistent with previous trials. The data will be submitted to regulatory authorities and shared with the scientific community at an upcoming medical meeting.

Toorakimab is a potential first-in-class monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-33 (IL-33), that uniquely inhibits the signalling of the reduced and oxidised forms of IL-33, offering the potential to both reduce inflammation and disrupt the cycle of mucus dysfunction that contribute to COPD worsening.