Scientists in the UK have announced positive results from a clinical trial into the effectiveness of a new drug for people with asthma.
The trail is investigating the treatment potential of a drug called SNG001 toaims to protect people with asthma from respiratory virus infections. Virus infections, including the common cold can spread to the lung and are a major cause of worsening asthma symptoms.
The researchers investigated SNG001 in 134 adults with asthma who caught a cold. Results showed that SNG001 prevented asthma symptoms from getting worse during the first week of infection and treatment.
There was a 65% reduction in the number of people experiencing moderate exacerbations during the treatment period.People who were treated with the placebo had greater loss in lung function, as measured by morning peak expiratory flow rate (a measure of lung function).
Leanne Metcalf, Assistant Director of Research at Asthma UK, says: “This has the potential to be one of the biggest breakthroughs in asthma treatments in the past 20 years. We are incredibly excited by the possibilities this research could bring to reduce hospital admissions and deaths as a result of asthma attacks.”