Amgen (AMGN) and AstraZeneca (AZN) strengthen Tezspire's oesophagitis case
Full CROSSING results show improvements in tissue inflammation and swallowing symptoms, with benefits sustained through a year.
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Amgen and AstraZeneca released detailed Phase 3 CROSSING results for Tezspire in eosinophilic oesophagitis. At week 24, histological remission occurred in 64.8% and 68.9% of patients receiving the two studied doses, compared with 3.5% on placebo.
Swallowing symptoms also improved. Reductions in the Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire score were 18.8 and 22.0 points from baseline, against 14.7 points with placebo. Those figures describe changes within each group; they should not be presented as the treatment's incremental advantage over placebo.
The companies reported sustained benefits through week 52 and a safety profile consistent with established uses. The results extend the evidence supporting Tezspire beyond its respiratory franchise, although eosinophilic oesophagitis remains an investigational indication.
For investors, the attraction is expansion of an existing medicine into another chronic inflammatory disease. Regulatory review and eventual prescribing decisions will determine the value of that opportunity. The study supports efficacy against placebo, without establishing superiority over another active biologic.