A who’s who of respiratory disease drug developers has backed the American Lung Association’s push to help chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in rural communities.
Sanofi and Regeneron, AstraZeneca, Roche’s Genentech and GSK have provided support for the Living Well with COPD educational campaign. The support will equip the Lung Association to work with rural partners and referral networks, plus local healthcare providers, to deliver services and education to COPD patients.
The Lung Association created the campaign for all families across the U.S. affected by COPD, but has paid particular attention to people in rural communities. COPD rates are higher in rural communities than urban areas, the nonprofit said, and patients may lack easy access to hospitals and other resources.
To address the health equity challenge, the Lung Association is expanding access to the free Lung Health Navigator program. The program connects COPD patients to licensed healthcare professionals, either via a phone call, online chat or video meeting. Patients receive free, one-to-one support.
The Lung Association said it is sharing educational materials to help patients “improve communication with their healthcare provider, better understand available COPD treatments and improve their quality of life.” In parallel, the nonprofit is supporting healthcare providers to improve awareness of COPD therapy options.
All of the companies that supported the campaign have COPD therapies. Sanofi and Regeneron received FDA approval for Dupixent in the indication last year. The COPD launch got off to a promising start, but the companies’ IL-33 prospect suffered a phase 3 blow in May. Genentech also has an IL-33 candidate. AstraZeneca’s rival IL-33 prospect failed a phase 2 trial last year but development is continuing.
AstraZeneca already sells Breztri Aerosphere, an inhaler that competes with GSK’s Trelegy Ellipta for the COPD market. GSK recently won FDA approval for its IL-5 antibody Nucala in COPD. Nucala became the third biologic approved in COPD after Dupixent and Verona Pharma’s Ohtuvayre. Merck & Co. is reportedly closing in on a $10 billion deal to buy Verona.