AstraZeneca's new benralizumab helps severe asthma patients cut back on steroids
AstraZeneca's respiratory candidate benralizumab can help some severe asthma patients cut down on—or even stop—the unsavory steroid pills they use daily to stave off attacks, a new study showed. Dubbed Zonda, the phase 3 trial found that patients taking benralizumab were more than four times more likely to reduce oral steroid use than those who received a placebo. And 52% of eligible patients were able to completely discontinue the pills, investigators reported, while still seeing reductions in asthma exacerbations. In addition to cutting back on steroids, patients on benralizumab saw a 70...
