The National Health Service (NHS) has begun offering a new injectable treatment designed to address chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a long-term lung condition that affects thousands of patients across the UK. The medication, dupilumab, targets the underlying inflammation responsible for many COPD symptoms and is expected to benefit up to 30,000 individuals living with the illness.

The first patient to receive dupilumab on the NHS was Patrick Regan, 67, who was treated at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Regan described the unpredictable nature of COPD, which he said often leaves him struggling to breathe, likening it to "trying to blow up a balloon when someone is holding it to stop you." The condition has significantly limited his mobility and ability to participate in everyday activities, including spending time outdoors with his family.

Regan currently manages his COPD with twice-daily inhalers, regular antibiotic courses, and additional medication during flare-ups. Following his initial dose of dupilumab, administered last week, he reported experiencing less breathlessness during recent periods of high temperatures. He will continue to self-administer the drug at home every two weeks.

His wife, Dionne Regan, highlighted the impact the disease has had on their lives over the past 15 years, emphasizing the goal of the treatment to maintain Patrick’s health and improve quality of life for both him and their family.

COPD is characterized by inflammation that causes the airways to narrow and lung tissue to become damaged. While smoking remains the primary cause, the disease can also affect non-smokers. About 40% of COPD patients experience a form of the condition linked to elevated levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that contributes to airway inflammation.

Dupilumab works by blocking two proteins involved in this inflammatory process. The treatment is specifically recommended for COPD patients with raised eosinophil counts who have experienced at least one severe flare-up or two moderate flare-ups in the preceding year, despite being on maximum inhaler therapy. Health authorities hope this new option will help reduce symptoms and improve outcomes for those with this challenging form of the disease.