Researchers say they have found the first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years.
The injection dampens part of the immune system that can go into overdrive in flare-ups of both asthma and a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The medication, Benralizumab is already used in the most severe cases, but the latest research suggests it could be used routinely for around two million attacks in the UK each year.
It targets a type of white blood cell - called an eosinophil - that can cause inflammation and damage in the lungs.
The research team at King's College London said the drug was a game-changer that could revolutionise care.
The findings stem from the realisation that not all asthma or COPD attacks are the same. Instead, different parts of the immune system are over-reacting in different patients.
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