New inhaler promises asthma treatment forever

New inhaler promises asthma treatment forever
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A new asthma inhaler, Airsupra, has shown promising results in reducing severe asthma attacks and oral steroid use, Earth.com reported. Unlike traditional rescue inhalers that contain only albuterol, Airsupra combines albuterol with budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid that targets airway inflammation.

In the BATURA trial, a fully virtual, randomized, double-blind study, participants using Airsupra experienced a 47% reduction in severe asthma attacks compared to those using albuterol alone. The annualized severe attack rate was 0.15 with Airsupra versus 0.32 with albuterol. The combination also lowered cumulative oral steroid doses over 12 to 52 weeks.

The trial was stopped early due to clear efficacy, with similar safety profiles between groups. This supports updated asthma guidelines that discourage short-acting beta-agonist (SABA)-only treatment, emphasizing the need to address both bronchoconstriction and inflammation.

The FDA approved Airsupra in January 2023 for adults 18 and older as an as-needed therapy. Experts recommend patients discuss with their doctors whether this combination inhaler might better control their asthma symptoms and reduce risks associated with frequent steroid bursts. The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.