Landmark Asthma Trial Shows Major Clinical Benefit for New Anti-inflammatory Reliever Inhaler Option

The results of the Phase III Batura trial, announced by AstraZeneca today, offer compelling evidence that a new combination anti-inflammatory reliever inhaler — albuterol/budesonide — can significantly reduce the risk of severe asthma exacerbations in adolescents and adults.

Led by an international research team, the Batura study found a 47% reduction in the risk of severe asthma attacks compared with standard albuterol-only reliever treatment. Albuterol is known as salbutamol outside of the US. These results mirror the findings from earlier studies of the budesonide/formoterol combination inhaler, which demonstrated a 55% reduction in exacerbation risk in people with mild asthma.

Professor Richard Beasley, Director of the MRINZ and a senior author on the study, said:

“The Batura study provides further evidence supporting the use of a 2-in-1 combination anti-inflammatory reliever inhaler in the management of asthma in adolescents and adults. The 47% reduction in severe exacerbation risk seen with albuterol/budesonide in the Batura trial is comparable to the 55% reduction reported in similar studies of mild asthma using the combination budesonide/formoterol reliever inhaler. This means health professionals and patients may soon have a choice between two combination reliever therapies, with confidence that either option will help reduce the risk of severe asthma attacks. This has already been demonstrated in New Zealand, where widespread use of the budesonide/formoterol reliever inhaler has been linked to a significant drop in asthma-related hospital admissions among adolescents and adults. Importantly, the greatest reduction in hospitalisations has been observed in Māori, who continue to experience the highest burden of asthma in New Zealand.”

To read the full announcement and trial results from AstraZeneca, visit:
👉 Statistically significant and clinically meaningful Batura Phase III trial results