Tezspire (tezepelumab), from AstraZeneca and Amgen, has succeeded in a Phase 3 trial for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) — a chronic immune condition that inflames the esophagus and makes swallowing difficult — positioning it to compete with Sanofi’s Dupixent.
The CROSSING trial enrolled 368 patients aged 12–80, randomized to high-dose Tezspire, low-dose, or placebo, and met its primary and secondary endpoints — measured by esophageal eosinophil counts and a patient-reported swallowing-difficulty score. Results at one year were “statistically significant and clinically meaningful,” though specific figures weren’t disclosed. Tezspire works by blocking TSLP, an upstream signaling protein in allergic and inflammatory disease.
The Dupixent angle
Sanofi’s Dupixent is currently the only FDA-approved biologic for EoE. Tezspire’s trial compared against placebo, not head-to-head with Dupixent — but one analyst noted Tezspire has shown greater efficacy than Dupixent in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, a hint of competitive potential. EoE affects about 470,000 people in the US.
Why it matters
An approval would be Tezspire’s third indication (after severe asthma and, more recently, nasal polyps), with blockbuster potential. “Epithelial science represents an important and rapidly evolving area,” said AstraZeneca’s Sharon Barr — reflecting a broader push to target upstream drivers of multiple inflammatory diseases with one antibody.