How Brensocatib (Brinsupri) Treats Bronchiectasis

If you’re living with bronchiectasis, you’re likely familiar with the exhausting cycle of thick mucus, chronic coughing, and fear of the next flare-up. For years, treatment has focused on managing symptoms: clearing mucus and fighting infections after they start.

Brensocatib Targets Inflammation

Brensocatib works by reducing the drivers of the inflammation that damages airways and causes mucus buildup, says Amit “Bobby” Mahajan, MD, a national medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association and the system chief of interventional pulmonology at Inova Health System in Vienna, Virginia.

When bacteria get into your lungs, your body sends out infection-fighting cells called neutrophils. These cells help kill germs and protect you.

This can mean less inflammation, less airway damage, and an easier time clearing mucus, Dr. Mahajan says.

“As a result, people are more functional, are feeling better, and are more active,” he says.

By reducing flare-ups, called exacerbations, brensocatib can also preserve lung function longer term, says Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, a national spokesperson for the American Lung Association and an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

“You want to reduce these exacerbations because they are a burden to a patient,” he says. “[Brensocatib] won't fully reverse the bronchiectasis, but it’ll keep it from being symptomatic.”

The Data

The FDA evaluated positive results from two trials examining how brensocatib can treat bronchiectasis.

How to Use Brensocatib

“Depending on the cause of your bronchiectasis, [brensocatib can] be used along with airway clearance and also sometimes still needing pulmonary rehabilitation or surgery,” Mahajan says.

Dr. Galiatsatos also stresses “appropriate infectious control,” such as wearing a mask during high viral seasons, washing your hands often, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. These simple steps can help lower your risk of infections that could trigger a flare.

Dosage and Administration

Side Effects and Warnings

• Upper respiratory tract infections
• Headache
• Skin issues and rashes
• Dry or thickening skin, or hyperkeratosis
• High blood pressure, hypertension
• Gum or dental problems

• Hair loss (alopecia)
• Abnormal liver blood tests, indicating potential liver irritation or stress
• Skin cancer

Galiatsatos also advises people taking brensocatib to have dental checkups every six months because the drug’s effect on tissue enzymes may increase your risk of gum disease.

The Takeaway

• Brensocatib (Brinsupri) is the first medication to target the underlying inflammation contributing to bronchiectasis, rather than treating symptoms after they start.
• Brensocatib can reduce the number of flare-ups of the chronic lung condition and increase the time between them, potentially slowing down the decline of lung function.
• The medication is available as a daily pill in 10 or 25 mg doses, depending on what your doctor prescribes, and is used in addition to traditional bronchiectasis treatments such as daily airway clearance techniques.