An investigational inhaled drug for COPD inhibited neutrophil enhancement and inflammatory cytokine release in a small clinical study, according to research presented at ERS 2015.

The drug in question, still undergoing clinical trials, is known as AZD7624 (or simply 7624), an inhaled p38 inhibitor developed by AstraZeneca. The drug appeared to show promise for its anti-inflammatory properties when it was tested using lung and systemic markers of inflammation following a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge.

“The anti-inflammatory potential indicates 7624 as a novel treatment for COPD,” said lead study author Naimish Patel, MD, PhD, a research scientist at AstraZeneca, the drug’s manufacturer. “We can dampen some of the inflammation of COPD, but more remains to be seen in follow-up studies.”