Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said Friday that a monoclonal antibody drug targeting a protein called IL-33 provided no additional benefit to asthma patients when added to the already approved drug Dupixent.
The disappointing clinical trial results raise questions about the future role that anti-IL-33 drugs might have in treating asthma and other inflammatory related diseases. Shares of AnaptysBio (ANAB), a biotech with a similar drug in mid-stage development, fell 16% in reaction to the negative news from Sanofi and Regeneron, whose share prices were unchanged.
In the Phase 2 clinical trial involving patients with asthma, the Regeneron/Sanofi drug called REGN3500, when administered alone, successfully reduced the loss of asthma control and improved lung function compared to a placebo, meeting the primary goals of the study.
