More than a billion people around the world have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, called COPD [C-O-P-D).

That’s a lot of huffing, wheezing, and coughing. And when those conditions flare up, breathing can be restricted, sending them to emergency rooms for help.

For the past 50 or so years, the standard treatment for flare-ups has been steroid pills. The steroid can reduce lung inflammation, but it also can mean side effects like diabetes and osteoporosis. And it doesn’t always work on the first try.

Now a new study led by researchers in the United Kingdom suggests a new treatment that could shift the landscape for those with asthma and COPD.

Their study finds that an injection given during breathing attacks works better than current treatments and cuts the need for more treatment by 30%.

The drug is called benralizamab [ben-ruh-lie-zoo-mab], a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells to reduce lung inflammation. It is now used to treat severe asthma.

The researchers separated 158 people at high risk of an asthma or COPD attack into three groups. One group received an injection of benralizumab and a placebo tablet, a second received the usual steroid tablets and a placebo injection, and the third group received both the benralizumab injection and steroids.

After 28 days, the groups treated with benralizumab had less coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness. After 90 days, they were four times less likely to have had to repeat a treatment, compared with the steroid group.

An extra benefit: Patients can manage the injection themselves, so a flare-up would not necessarily require an ER visit.

What a breath of fresh air.