AstraZeneca's Fasenra (benralizumab) has been approved in the European Union (EU) as an add-on treatment for adult patients with relapsing or refractory eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). EGPA is a rare, immune-mediated vasculitis that can result in damage to multiple organs, and without treatment, can be fatal.[1,2]

The approval by the European Commission follows the positive opinion (https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2024/fasenra-recommended-for-eu-approval-in-egpa.html) of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use and was based on positive results from the MANDARA Phase III trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine (https://www.nejm.org/stoken/default+domain/REPRINTS_36237/full?redirectUri=/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2311155).[3] MANDARA was the first head-to-head non-inferiority trial of biologics in patients with EGPA.[4-6] Patients were randomised to receive either a single 30 mg subcutaneous injection of Fasenra, or three separate 100 mg subcutaneous injections of mepolizumab every four weeks.[ 3,4]   

In the trial, nearly 60% of Fasenra-treated patients achieved remission, which was comparable to mepolizumab-treated patients.[3] Data also showed 41% of Fasenra-treated patients fully tapered off oral corticosteroids (OCS) (vs. 26% in the comparator arm (difference: 16%; 95% CI: 1,31)).[3] 

Bernhard Hellmich, Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, and Immunology at the Medius Klinik Kirchheim, Teaching Hospital of the University of Tübingen in Germany, Co-Director of the Vasculitis Center Tübingen-Kirchhei, and MANDARA Principal Investigator said: "People living with EGPA suffer debilitating symptoms, organ damage and even death. Today's approval provides an important treatment option for people living with EGPA in the EU. By directly targeting and removing eosinophilic inflammation with benralizumab, I hope that we will see more patients achieve remission as well as a reduction in the reliance on oral corticosteroids, which can cause serious and long-term side effects."   

Ruud Dobber, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, AstraZeneca said: "We remain committed to helping patients with some of the hardest-to-treat diseases. Today's approval of Fasenra, with its convenient, single-monthly injection is a positive step forward for patients with EGPA. Fasenra has been a well-established treatment for many years in thousands of people with severe eosinophilic asthma and we are pleased to now offer a much-needed treatment option for those living with EGPA in Europe."   

The safety and tolerability profile for Fasenra in the MANDARA trial was consistent with the known profile of the medicine.[3]     

Approximately half of patients with EGPA have adult-onset severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) and often have sinus and nasal symptoms.[2,7,8] Fasenra is only the second biologic approved to treat this disease.[5]    

Fasenra is currently approved as an add-on maintenance treatment for SEA in more than 80 countries, including the US, Japan, EU and China.[9-12 ]It is also approved in children and adolescents ages 6 and above in the US and Japan.Fasenra was approved (https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2024/fasenra-approved-in-the-us-for-eosinophilic-granulomatosis-with-polyangiitis.html) for EGPA in the US in September.[13]

Notes

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis 
EGPA, formerly known as Churg-Strauss Syndrome, is a rare, immune-mediated inflammatory disease that is caused by inflammation of small to medium-sized blood vessels.[1,2] It is estimated that 118,000 people throughout the world live with EGPA.[14] EGPA can result in damage to multiple organs, including lungs, upper airway, skin, heart, gastrointestinal tract and nerves.[2] The most common symptoms and signs include extreme fatigue, weight loss, muscle and joint pain, rashes, nerve pain, sinus and nasal symptoms, and shortness of breath.[2,15] Without treatment, the disease may be fatal.[2] Almost half (47%) of patients do not achieve remission with current treatments.[15]

There are limited treatment options for EGPA. Patients are often treated with chronic high-dose OCS and experience recurrent relapses when attempting to taper off OCS.[16,17] 

MANDARA 
MANDARA was a Phase III, randomised, double-blinded, active-controlled trial, which compared the efficacy and safety of Fasenra to mepolizumab in adult patients with relapsing or refractory EGPA.[4] In the trial, 140 patients were randomised 1:1 to receive either a single 30mg subcutaneous injection of Fasenra or three separate 100mg subcutaneous injections of the active comparator every four weeks.[3]

The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who were in remission at both weeks 36 and 48.[4] Remission is defined as Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS)=0 and OCS dose less than or equal to 4 mg/day.[4] A secondary endpoint was the proportion of patients who were able to fully taper off OCS at weeks 48 through 52.[3] The primary statistical analysis was to demonstrate non-inferiority of Fasenra versus mepolizumab based on the primary endpoint.[3]

Fasenra 
Fasenra (benralizumab) is currently approved in more than 80 countries, including the US, Japan, EU and China.[9-12] Fasenra has been prescribed to over 130,000 patients globally.[18]

Fasenra is in development for other diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypereosinophilic syndrome.[19,20] 

Fasenra was developed by AstraZeneca and is in-licensed from BioWa, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., Japan.

AstraZeneca in Respiratory & Immunology 
Respiratory & Immunology, part of AstraZeneca BioPharmaceuticals, is a key disease area and growth driver to the Company.

AstraZeneca is an established leader in respiratory care with a 50-year heritage and a growing portfolio of medicines in immune-mediated diseases. The Company is committed to addressing the vast unmet needs of these chronic, often debilitating, diseases with a pipeline and portfolio of inhaled medicines, biologics and new modalities aimed at previously unreachable biologic targets. Our ambition is to deliver life-changing medicines that help eliminate COPD as a leading cause of death, eliminate asthma attacks and achieve clinical remission in immune-mediated diseases.

AstraZeneca (https://www.astrazeneca.com/)

AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca's innovative medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com (http://www.astrazeneca.com/) and follow the Company on social media @AstraZeneca (https://gateway.zscalertwo.net/auD?origurl=https:%2f%2fwww.linkedin.com%2fcompany%2fastrazeneca&_ordtok=Mkk3WV5DBDPmQrD4F5MGdGDMZR)

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References

1. Furuta S, et al. Update on eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Allergol Int. 2019;68:430-436. 
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3. Wechsler ME, et al. Benralizumab versus Mepolizumab for Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(10):911-921.
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14. AstraZeneca Data on file. 2024. REF- 244520.
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17. Bell CF, et al. Burden of illness and costs associated with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: evidence from a managed care database in the United States. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2021;27(9):1249-1259.
18. AstraZeneca data on file. 2024. REF-235794.
19. Clinicaltrials.gov. Efficacy and Safety of Benralizumab in Moderate to Very Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) With a History of Frequent Exacerbations (RESOLUTE). Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04053634 [Last accessed: October 2024].  
20. Clinicaltrials.gov. A Phase 3 Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Benralizumab in Patients With Hypereosinophilic Syndrome (HES) (NATRON). Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04191304 [Last accessed: October 2024].