24 May 2023 • In the phase 3 BOREAS study of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and type 2 inflammation, those treated with dupilumab experienced fewer COPD exacerbations, improved lung function, better health-related quality of life, and less severe symptoms compared with patients given a placebo. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and are to be presented as a late-breaking abstract during a session at the 2023 American Thoracic Society International Conference this week.

• The randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial included 939 patients with COPD who had a blood eosinophil count of at least 300 cells per microliter and an elevated exacerbation risk despite the use of standard triple therapy
• 95.1% of the patients in the dupilumab group and 93.4% of those in the placebo group completed the 52-week trial period.
• The primary end point was the measure of improvement in the annualized rate of moderate or severe COPD exacerbations.
• In the dupilumab cohort, the annualized rate of moderate to severe exacerbations was 0.78 vs 1.10 in the placebo group.
• These results make dupilumab the first investigational biologic for COPD that has significantly reduced moderate or severe acute exacerbations by 30% vs a placebo.

Study conclusions: Among patients with COPD who had type 2 inflammation as indicated by elevated blood eosinophil counts, those who received dupilumab had fewer exacerbations, better lung function and quality of life, and less severe respiratory symptoms than those who received placebo.

Source: NEJM | Read full story