AstraZeneca Pioneers Low-Impact Inhalers with Eco-Friendly Breztri Transition

AstraZeneca Pioneers Low-Impact Inhalers with Eco-Friendly Breztri Transition

(IN BRIEF) AstraZeneca has completed clinical studies to transition Breztri, its inhaled treatment for COPD, to a next-generation propellant with 99.9% lower Global Warming Potential. This change aligns with AstraZeneca’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact through its Ambition Zero Carbon strategy. The new propellant will maintain clinical effectiveness while reducing the carbon footprint of inhalers. Regulatory submissions are expected by the end of 2024 in Europe, the UK, and China.

(PRESS RELEASE) CAMBRIDGE, 9-Sep-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — AstraZeneca has announced a major step in its decarbonisation efforts by completing clinical trials for transitioning Breztri (budesonide/glycopyrronium/formoterol fumarate) to a next-generation propellant with 99.9% lower Global Warming Potential. Breztri, used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), will be the first AstraZeneca inhaled medicine to use this environmentally friendly propellant.

The transition to the new propellant aligns with AstraZeneca’s “Ambition Zero Carbon” strategy, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of its products. While pressurised-metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) account for less than 0.04% of global greenhouse gas emissions, AstraZeneca is focused on minimizing this footprint across its inhaler portfolio.

Professor Omar Usmani of Imperial College London, a lead investigator in the study, highlighted the importance of transitioning to low-impact inhalers to address both patient care and environmental sustainability. Regulatory submissions for the updated Breztri inhaler are expected in Europe, the UK, and China by the end of 2024, with additional data to be shared at key medical conferences.

This initiative is part of AstraZeneca’s broader commitment to advancing sustainable healthcare while continuing to provide essential treatments for patients with chronic respiratory diseases.

Notes

Breztri/Trixeo Aerosphere
Budesonide/glycopyrronium/formoterol fumarate (BGF), approved under the brand name Trixeo Aerosphere in the EU and Breztri Aerosphere in Japan, China and the US, is a single-inhaler, fixed-dose triple-combination of formoterol fumarate, a LABA, glycopyrronium bromide, a LAMA, with budesonide, an ICS, and delivered via the Aerosphere pressurised metered-dose inhaler. Breztri/Trixeo Aerosphere is approved to treat COPD in more than 50 countries worldwide including the US, EU, China, Japan, and is currently being studied in Phase III trials for asthma.

AstraZeneca’s Collaboration with Honeywell
Developed and patented by Honeywell, the medical grade version of HFO-1234ze is a critical propellant to enable the transition of pMDI medicines with reduced climate impact, given its near-zero GWP. AstraZeneca announced in 2022 its collaboration with Honeywell to develop respiratory inhaled medicines using the new propellant.

Ambition Zero Carbon
Through its Ambition Zero Carbon strategy, AstraZeneca is pursuing bold, science-based decarbonisation targets, accelerating progress towards net zero. The Company is on track to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its global operations and fleet (Scope 1 and 2) by 98% by 2026 (from a 2015 baseline). AstraZeneca aims to halve its entire value chain footprint (Scope 3) by 2030, on the way to a 90% absolute emissions reduction (from a 2019 baseline) by 2045 at the latest. By 2030, the Company will become carbon negative for all residual emissions. AstraZeneca was one of the first seven companies globally to have its net zero targets verified by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Corporate Net-Zero Standard.

AstraZeneca in Respiratory & Immunology
Respiratory & Immunology, part of AstraZeneca BioPharmaceuticals is a key disease area and growth driver to the Company.

AstraZeneca is an established leader in respiratory care with a 50-year heritage and a growing portfolio of medicines in immune-mediated diseases. The Company is committed to addressing the vast unmet needs of these chronic, often debilitating, diseases with a pipeline and portfolio of inhaled medicines, biologics and new modalities aimed at previously unreachable biologic targets. Our ambition is to deliver life-changing medicines that help eliminate COPD as a leading cause of death, eliminate asthma attacks and achieve clinical remission in immune-mediated diseases.

AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca’s innovative medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and follow the Company on social media @AstraZeneca

References

1. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. Data on File. Global Warming Potential of HFO-1234ze. (ID: REF-140251).

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3. Shah M, Aurivillius M, Raphiou I, et al. Systemic exposure bioequivalence of budesonide/ glycopyrrolate/ formoterol fumarate with the potential next generation propellant hydrofluoroolefin-1234ze versus hydrofluoroalkane-134a in healthy adults. [Thematic Poster Session]. Presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference 2024 (17-22 May).

4. Raphiou I, Aurivillius M, Petullo D, et al. Lung exposure bioequivalence with budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate with the next generation propellant hydrofluoroolefin-1234ze versus hydrofluoroalkane-134a in healthy adults: a charcoal block study. [Thematic Poster Session]. Presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference 2024 (17-22 May).

5. Bell A, Jassal M, Xu J, et al. A randomized, double-blind, crossover study of change in post-dose lung function with a new generation propellant for metered dose inhalers in patients with asthma. [Poster Session]. Presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress 2024 (7-11 September).

6. GBD Chronic Respiratory Disease Collaborators. Prevalence and attributable health burden of chronic respiratory diseases, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 Jun; 8 (6): 585-596.

7. Bell J, Tewari SG, Budgen N, et al. An Assessment Of Pressurized Metered-dose Inhaler Use In Countries In Europe And The Rest Of The World. Poster Presentation at American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference, 2023 19-24 May.

8. AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca progresses Ambition Zero Carbon programme with Honeywell partnership to develop next-generation respiratory inhalers. [Online]. Available at: https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/astraz/media-centre/press-releases/2022/astrazeneca-progresses-ambition-zero-carbon-programme-with-honeywell-partnership-to-develop-next-generation-respiratory-inhalers.html. [Accessed September 2024.]

9. Wilkinson AJK, Maslova E, Janson C, et al., Greenhouse gas emissions associated with suboptimal asthma care in the UK: the SABINA healthCARe‒Based envirONmental cost of treatment (CARBON) study. Thorax. 2024 27;79(5):412-421.

10. SMI. Decarbonising patient care pathways. [Online]. Available at: https://a.storyblok.com/f/109506/x/88fe7ea368/smi-hstf-pcp-whitepaper.pdf. [Accessed September 2024.]

11. Usmani OS, Levy ML. Effective respiratory management of asthma and COPD and the environmental impacts of inhalers. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2023;33(1):24.

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SOURCE: AstraZeneca