AstraZeneca (AZN) said its asthma drug Fasenra failed to hit the main target in a late trial for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The study showed the medicine did not cut the rate of flare-ups in patients compared with a placebo. Patients in the trial were current or past smokers who already used standard inhalers and had a history of repeated flare-ups. The company said it will review the full trial data to gain more insight.
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Fasenra is AstraZeneca’s second-best-selling drug in its respiratory unit. It brought in $920 million in the first half of 2025, which was up 18% from the same period last year. The drug is already approved to treat severe asthma and two other rare immune-related disorders. More than 150,000 patients around the world now use it. While the setback limits near-term growth for COPD, the drug remains a solid driver in other markets.
Pipeline Gains Balance the News
At the same time, AstraZeneca reported a win for its rare disease drug Saphnelo. In a late trial, the drug met the key goal by reducing disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, a long-lasting immune condition. That success may help ease concern over the loss of momentum from Fasenra in COPD.
The company still offers other treatments for COPD. Its triple inhaler Breztri is on the market, and a drug called tozorakimab is still in tests. COPD affects about 391 million people worldwide and remains one of the top causes of death. AstraZeneca has said it wants to keep building options for patients in this space despite the latest result.
Is AstraZeneca a Good Stock to Buy?
Although AstraZeneca has limited analyst coverage, the stock still boasts a Strong Buy consensus from three analysts who have issued ratings in the past three months. The average AZN stock price target stands at $92.33, implying a 19.04% upside from the current price.
