Only two treatments are required per year! GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.US) new asthma drug approved by FDA

The Zhitong Finance App learned that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.US) announced that a new drug to treat severe asthma has been approved by the US regulations. This progress is expected to pave the way for the drug to become a major product.

GlaxoSmithKline said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the new drug Exdensur (depemokimab) as an additional maintenance treatment for severe asthma patients aged 12 and above.

Earlier this month, the drug was approved for marketing by the European Medicines Agency, and the UK Drug Supervisory Authority has given it the green light. GlaxoSmithKline revealed that the drug's application for marketing in China and Japan is currently under review.

As the first ultra-long-lasting biologic to treat respiratory diseases, Exdensur is administered only twice a year. Clinical trial data shows that the drug can reduce the risk of acute attacks of severe asthma by 54%, while also relieving nasal congestion in patients with chronic sinusitis and reducing the volume of nasal breathing.

Exdensur is seen as a key part of GlaxoSmithKline's future growth. The company plans to gradually expand the application of the drug in various indications between 2026 and 2027. GlaxoSmithKline expects Exdensur's annual sales to reach 3 billion pounds (about 4 billion US dollars).

According to GlaxoSmithKline estimates, there are currently about 2 million people in the US suffering from severe asthma, and half of these patients are still at risk of frequent worsening of the condition and hospitalization.