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COPDMay 2025Summary reviewed October 2026

Monthly Injection Cut COPD Flare-Ups by 21% in Patients With High Eosinophils

People with COPD who had frequent flare-ups and high levels of a certain white blood cell got a monthly injection on top of their usual three inhalers. Over one to two years, they had one-fifth fewer flare-ups than those on placebo. The treatment also delayed the first flare-up by about three months.

What the trial was testing

The MATINEE enrolled 806 patients with copd. The study was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.

It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.

What the results showed

The injection reduced moderate or severe COPD flare-ups by 21% compared to placebo.

The New England journal of medicine · 2025 · NCT04133909

These findings — that fewer moderate or severe COPD flare-ups with the monthly injection versus placebo — were published in the The New England journal of medicine and represent the headline result of the study.

Researchers tracked outcomes across 806 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.

What this means for patients

For patients with copd, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.

What you can do now

If you have COPD with frequent flare-ups and your doctor finds high eosinophils in your blood, this monthly injection might help reduce how often you get sick. It's designed to work alongside your three daily inhalers, not replace them. This treatment is FDA-approved for this use — ask your doctor if it's right for you.

Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.

Open copd trials

RecruitingInterventional study

Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Aerobic Exercise on Inflammation, Hypoxia, Exercise Capacity, and Lung Function in COPD

Purpose: This study aims to compare the effects of the classical pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program and blood flow restriction (BFR) applied during low-intensity aerobic exercise within PR on systemic inflammation, hypoxemia, exercise capacity, pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and quality-of-life parameters in individuals with COPD. Methods: This randomized controlled study will include 34 individuals with COPD, allocated into a BFR aerobic group and a control group. Both groups will receive core PR components, including diaphragmatic breathing, pursed-lip breathing, respiratory muscle training, and peripheral muscle strengthening. The BFR group will perform low-intensity aerobic exercise with blood flow restriction, while the control group will perform moderate-intensity aerobic exercise without BFR in accordance with standard PR protocols. All sessions will be supervised by a physiotherapist, twice per week, for eight weeks. Systemic inflammation markers, arterial blood gases, pulmonary function, exercise capacity, quality of life, and symptom scores will be assessed before PR, after the 8th session, and at the end of the program. Data will be analyzed using SPSS 26.0. Expected Contribution: This study aims to provide evidence-based insights into the physiological and clinical effects of low-intensity BFR aerobic exercise within PR and to determine its potential advantages compared with classical PR. Additionally, it seeks to clarify whether low-intensity BFR aerobic exercise may serve as a better-tolerated alternative for COPD patients who experience exercise intolerance during moderate-intensity aerobic training.

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
RecruitingPost-approval monitoring

Chronic Airway Disease, Mucus Rheology and Exacerbations

The main objective of this trial is to compare the exacerbation number over 12 months of follow-up between a group of patients with COPD treated according to standardized management (azithromycin prescribed in the event of severe sputum according to the CASA-Q score , standardized comparator arm) and a similar group in which azithromycin is prescribed based on mucus rheology (experimental arm) or CASA-Q.

Bordeaux, France +2 more