The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) market continues its trajectory of rapid growth, bolstered by significant advancements in biologics and sustained investments by major pharmaceutical players. AstraZeneca’s recent presentation at the JPM Healthcare Conference 2025 highlighted the company’s commitment to expanding its respiratory and immunology (R&I) portfolio, a key driver of its overall growth strategy. The upcoming release of Phase III Fasenra (benralizumab) data in COPD, anticipated in 2025, is expected to solidify AstraZeneca’s position in the market and accelerate the adoption of biologics for this chronic condition.
According to AstraZeneca’s executive leadership, revenues in the US market grew by 20% during the first nine months of 2024, with R&I achieving an impressive 39% growth in Q4 2024. This momentum is expected to continue, with R&I assets forecast to account for half of the company’s total revenue by 2030. Key drivers include Breztri Aerosphere (budesonide, formoterol fumarate, and glycopyrrolate) and Fasenra, both of which are positioned for indication expansions into severe asthma and COPD.
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The first biologic to enter the COPD market, Dupixent (dupilumab), has paved the way for competitors, demonstrating significant efficacy in reducing exacerbations. Dupixent’s success has highlighted the potential of biologics to target specific inflammatory pathways in COPD, a space previously dominated by inhaled therapies. AstraZeneca’s Fasenra, an IL-5-targeting monoclonal antibody already approved for asthma, represents a promising contender for market share in COPD.
Key opinion leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData expressed optimism about biologics in COPD, particularly for their established efficacy in asthma and emerging data supporting their use in defined patient subsets. One KOL noted: “The beauty of these biologics is that they’re really well studied in asthma, and we know they’re effective. The challenge will be to identify the right subset of COPD patients they’re applicable to. If the Phase III RESOLUTE study is positive, I’m optimistic it will make its way into clinical practice, especially because it already has credibility from asthma indications.”
Fasenra’s mechanism of action, targeting IL-5 to reduce eosinophilic inflammation, positions it to address unmet needs in COPD. GlobalData projects that, if approved, Fasenra could generate $1.28bn in US sales by 2033, based on the ‘COPD in Major Markets, Disease Management, Epidemiology, Pipeline Assessment, Unmet Needs and Drug Forecast‘ to 2033 report.
While the potential for biologics in COPD is clear, challenges remain. A key hurdle will be identifying phenotypes of COPD patients who will benefit most from these therapies. Studies such as RESOLUTE, which define phenotypes based on blood eosinophil counts, will be instrumental in this regard. Additionally, Dupixent’s first-mover advantage and its established sales trajectory may present competition for newer entrants such as Fasenra.
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By GlobalDataAnother factor shaping the COPD market is the pricing landscape. With the US introducing a $35 inhaler price cap, competition between biologics and inhaled therapies could intensify. However, biologics offering less frequent dosing schedules, novel mechanisms of action, and improved outcomes are likely to capture a significant share of the moderate-to-severe COPD market segment.
AstraZeneca’s R&I portfolio, with assets such as Fasenra and Breztri, is well-positioned to contribute to the COPD market’s growth, which GlobalData predicts will exceed $30.8bn across the seven major markets (7MM) by 2033. The anticipated Phase III data for Fasenra in 2025, along with the company’s robust US revenue growth and indication expansions, underscores its strategic focus on addressing unmet needs in respiratory diseases.
As the COPD market continues to evolve, biologics are poised to play a transformative role in redefining treatment paradigms, offering hope for improved outcomes in one of the world’s most burdensome chronic diseases.
