Washington approves the use of the drug "Dupixent" to treat bronchitis in smokers

French drugmaker Sanofi announced on Friday that it has received the green light from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to launch its anti-bronchitis drug Dupixent for smokers.

The drug's approval in the United States follows approvals in the European Union and China, and was based on two phase III studies that showed Dupixent significantly reduced exacerbations of the disease, in addition to "improving respiratory function and quality of life," Sanofi said in a statement.

Uncontrolled COPD cannot be cured and is usually treated with inhaled bronchodilators. These drugs can be combined with corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.

Dupixent reduces exacerbations by at least 30 percent over 52 weeks in patients with so-called type 2 COPD who are already on triple therapy with short- and long-acting inhalers, often combined with corticosteroids.

Improvements in lung function were seen for up to one year (52 weeks) in these patients in two phase III studies.

COPD is associated with smoking in more than 70 percent of cases in high-income countries and is the third leading cause of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

Symptoms include chronic cough, shortness of breath and excessive mucus production. Its impact on daily life includes difficulty climbing stairs or tying shoelaces.

Dupilumab, known commercially as Dupixent, was developed by Sanofi and US company Regeneron and accounts for a quarter of the French group's sales. It is used to treat five other conditions: atopic dermatitis, asthma, nasal polyps, pruritus nodosa and eosinophilic esophagitis.