The first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years is a drug already available—and it’s 4x more effective than steroid tablets.

A new injection, benralizumab, outperforms traditional steroids in treating asthma and COPD attacks, reducing treatment failures and improving quality of life. This breakthrough marks a significant advancement after 50 years of stagnant treatment options.

Researchers say they have found the first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years. The injection dampens part of the immune system that can go into overdrive in flare-ups of both asthma and a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The antibody drug benralizumab is on the fast track to becoming the first new treatment for certain kinds of asthma and COPD flare-ups seen in 50 years, following promising clinical trial data.

The study demonstrated that asthma treatment is safe, with no significant side effects compared to past studies of the drug.

The first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years may be a “game-changer”, researchers say. Offering patients an injection is more effective than the current care of steroid tablets and cuts the need for further treatment by 30 per cent, according to a study.

Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation.

For the first time in half a century, scientists have hit on a new treatment for asthma attacks. Clinical trial results have shown that a drug called benralizumab is effective at treating acute attacks of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),