AstraZeneca stock jumps after surprise trial win for lung disease drug where rivals have failed

AstraZeneca's stock jumped nearly 5% after Britain's most valuable company said its experimental lung disease medicine met its target in two late-stage clinical trials.

The respiratory treatment tozorakimab, reduced flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in both former smokers and in the overall population versus placebo, the company said.

"This marks a notable shift in sentiment, given limited conviction in the IL-33 mechanism following prior IL-33 failures from Sanofi and Roche," said Jefferies analysts.

Tozorakimab and rival drugs belong to a class of treatments called monoclonal antibodies. They work ​by suppressing the action ⁠of the protein interleukin-33 (IL-33) and can reduce inflammation.

"Today's tozorakimab results deliver the first two confirmatory Phase III trials for an IL-33 biologic, which is a major scientific advancement in COPD, the world's third leading cause of death," said Sharon Barr, executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals and R&D at AstraZeneca.

"Tozorakimab works in a fundamentally different way from other biologics, inhibiting the signalling of the reduced and oxidised forms of IL-33 to both decrease inflammation and disrupt the cycle of mucus dysfunction that are key disease drivers in COPD," Barr said.

The full results will be disclosed at an upcoming medical meeting, AstraZeneca said.

In July, Swiss drugmaker Roche reported mixed results for its COPD drug astegolimab, which ultimately failed to reduce flare-ups in a phase 3 study. Similar to tozorakimab, it is designed to stop the binding of IL-33.

Two months earlier, France's Sanofi had reported similarly mixed results for its drug itepekimab which it is developing jointly with Regeneron.

AstraZeneca's London-listed shares were last seen up 4.7% in midday trading, contrasting with the UK's FTSE 100 index which fell 0.4%. Astra's Friday update also lifted shares of Roche and Sanofi by around 1% each.

Nearly 400 million people are diagnosed with COPD, and it's one of the leading causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

It's a progressive respiratory condition that manifests through breathlessness, chronic cough, and excess mucus production. Symptoms can worsen over time and contribute to ongoing inflammation and bronchoconstriction, making it difficult to breathe and increasing the risk of COPD exacerbations.

AstraZeneca has forecast tozorakimab peak annual sales of between $3 billion and $5 billion, whereas estimates on average put peak sales at about $1 billion prior to Friday's trial results, according to FactSet.

The trial results showed a benefit for both former and current smokers, across all lung‑function severities.

It also indicated a benefit for patients with a low amount of a type of white blood cell called eosinophil, which is a key unmet need for about 35% of patients, Citi analysts noted.

Tozorakimab is also being studied in a Phase 3 trial for severe viral lower respiratory tract disease and in a Phase 2 trial in asthma.

Astra is planning to launch more than 20 new drugs over the next five years and has targeted $80 ⁠billion in annual sales by 2030.