A groundbreaking new treatment for severe asthma, requiring just two injections a year, is set to become available in Britain. The drug, depemokimab, has been shown in clinical trials to reduce hospital admissions for life-threatening attacks by an impressive 72 per cent.
A 'Laser-Guided Missile' for the Lungs
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted marketing authorisation for the therapy, which is manufactured by the British pharmaceutical company GSK. Known as a biologic, it works by using antibodies to precisely target and dampen inflammation in the lungs.
Professor Ian Pavord of the University of Oxford, who led the trials, vividly compared the new treatment to a 'laser-guided missile' that takes out the enemy directly. This is in stark contrast to traditional steroids, which he likened to a 'cluster bomb' with widespread and often unwanted side-effects like weight gain, mood changes, and osteoporosis.
Depemokimab, which will be sold under the brand name Exdensur, represents a major leap in convenience. Existing biologic treatments for asthma need to be taken every two to eight weeks, whereas this new injection is administered only every six months.
Transforming Lives and Easing NHS Pressure
The drug is aimed at the estimated 58,000 adults in England with severe, uncontrolled asthma for whom standard inhalers are ineffective. However, a recent Cambridge University study suggests only around 21,000 currently receive biologic treatments.
GSK's chief executive, Dame Emma Walmsley, highlighted the terror of hospitalisation for asthma patients and their families, calling the approval of the world's first six-monthly treatment a significant step. The company's research indicates it will reduce the 'really properly scary' attacks that lead to hospital stays.
Kaivan Khavandi, head of R&D at GSK, noted that the extended dosing interval would benefit patients with needle phobia, reduce time off work for appointments, and help free up valuable NHS resources.
Access and the Future of Treatment
The therapy is scheduled to go on sale privately in the first half of 2026. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will now assess whether it should be prescribed on the NHS.
Professor David Jackson of King's College London, who worked on the trial, stated that the number of patients who can benefit will hinge on the price GSK sets, to be announced in the coming weeks. NICE currently sets the eligibility threshold for most biologics at at least three severe attacks a year.
'One of the things that we as an asthma community are hoping for,' Professor Jackson added, 'is that GSK come in cheap enough to allow for example that bar to be dropped to two exacerbations per year rather than three.'
Nick Hopkinson, medical director of Asthma + Lung UK, welcomed the development, stating: 'This is an important step forward. Biologic therapies are becoming more normal and this means patients can get along with their lives without needing regular treatment.'
