AstraZeneca’s AIRSUPRA cuts severe asthma risk by 47%

WILMINGTON, Del. - AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN), a prominent pharmaceutical company with a market capitalization of $214 billion and an impressive 82% gross profit margin, announced that its AIRSUPRA, an anti-inflammatory reliever rescue therapy, has shown significant promise in reducing severe exacerbations in mild asthma patients, according to the BATURA Phase IIIb trial results. According to InvestingPro data, the company maintains a "GREAT" financial health score, supported by consistent dividend payments for 33 consecutive years. These findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2025 International Conference in San Francisco, CA.

The BATURA trial, which compared as-needed AIRSUPRA against the commonly used as-needed albuterol, demonstrated a 47% reduction in the risk of a severe exacerbation for those treated with AIRSUPRA. This significant decrease in risk led to an early termination of the trial upon the recommendation of an Independent Data Monitoring Committee. With revenue growth of 15.5% over the last twelve months, AstraZeneca continues to strengthen its market position through innovative treatments like AIRSUPRA. Discover more detailed insights about AstraZeneca’s growth potential and financial metrics with a InvestingPro subscription, which includes access to comprehensive Pro Research Reports covering 1,400+ top stocks.

The comprehensive clinical program, which includes the BATURA trial and previous Phase III MANDALA and DENALI trials, supports the use of as-needed AIRSUPRA in reducing severe exacerbations across varying degrees of asthma severity, aligning with the latest recommendations from the Global Initiative for Asthma.

Craig LaForce, MD, Medical Director of North Carolina Clinical Research, highlighted that the BATURA trial results could potentially change 50 years of clinical practice in asthma treatment. Tonya Winders, President of Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP), emphasized the importance of anti-inflammatory reliever therapy in managing mild asthma and preventing severe exacerbations.

In addition to improving primary outcomes, AIRSUPRA was also associated with a 63% lower exposure to systemic corticosteroids compared to albuterol-alone, reducing the risks associated with cumulative exposure to these medications.

Safety findings from the BATURA trial indicated that AIRSUPRA’s safety and tolerability profile is consistent with previous studies, with no significant differences observed between the AIRSUPRA and albuterol groups.

AIRSUPRA is the first and only anti-inflammatory rescue medication approved in the US for as-needed treatment or prevention of bronchoconstriction and reducing the risk of exacerbations in adults with asthma. It is also approved in several Middle Eastern countries and is currently under study for use in adolescents and patients in China. Based on InvestingPro analysis, AstraZeneca appears undervalued at current levels, with analysts maintaining positive earnings forecasts and multiple ProTips highlighting the company’s strong market position and financial stability.

This article is based on a press release statement from AstraZeneca.

In other recent news, AstraZeneca announced successful results from its Phase III BATURA trial, showcasing significant improvements in asthma treatment with Airsupra. The trial demonstrated a 47% reduction in severe exacerbations compared to albuterol, leading to an early termination of the study. Additionally, AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi showed promise in the POTOMAC Phase III trial for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, improving disease-free survival significantly when combined with BCG therapy. AstraZeneca also reported that its Breztri Aerosphere met all primary endpoints in the KALOS and LOGOS trials, indicating better lung function in patients with uncontrolled asthma. The company plans to present these findings to regulatory authorities. Furthermore, AstraZeneca disclosed that Non-Executive Director Karen Knudsen purchased over $100,000 worth of American Depositary Shares, aligning with their recent SEC filing. These developments reflect AstraZeneca’s ongoing efforts in advancing treatment options across various medical conditions.

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