Respiratory Conditions

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FDA has approved olodaterol (Striverdi Respimat, Boehringer Ingelheim) Inhalation Spray 5 µg as a long-term, once-daily maintenance bronchodilator treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.

FDA actions in brief, complete response, fast-track designation, priority review, orphan drug designations, first-time generic approval

Pirfenidone (Esbriet), an oral antifibrotic therapy, was able to reduce progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and reduce the risk of mortality, according to phase 3 trial results presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in San Diego.

FDA approved umeclidinium (Incruse Ellipta, GlaxoSmithKline) once-daily anticholinergic for long-term maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.

FDA drug approvals, breakthrough designations, fast-track designations, priority review

In an attempt to determine which patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at high risk for serious adverse events upon presentation to the emergency department, Canadian researchers identified 10 clinical characteristics and developed a preliminary risk scale to help standardize the admission practices of these patients.

FDA approved umeclidinium and vilanterol inhalation powder (Anoro Ellipta, GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance) for the once-daily, long-term maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.

Fluticasone furoate and vilanterol inhalation powder (Breo Ellipta, GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance) once-daily for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is now available to pharmacies throughout the United States.

Older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be at increased risk for cardiovascular events with newly prescribed long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) and long-acting anticholinergics (LAAs) and need to be followed closely by their healthcare providers, according to a study published online May 20 for JAMA Internal Medicine.

FDA has approved fluticasone furoate and vilanterol inhalation powder (Breo Ellipta, GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance), an inhaled long-term, once-daily maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. It is also indicated to reduce exacerbations of COPD in patients with a history of exacerbations.

Long-term treatment with fixed-combination budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort Turbuhaler, AstraZeneca) was associated with fewer healthcare utilization-defined exacerbations and hospitalizations than fluticasone/salmeterol in patients with moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published online in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Budesonide/Formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy is an effective option for patients requiring treatment adjustments across Steps 2 to 4 of the Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines, according to the results of a study published online, June 2 in Respiratory Research.

Use of short- and long-acting inhaled anticholinergic medications in men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with an increased risk of acute urinary retention, according to the results of a study published in the May 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Pirfenidone, an investigational drug (InterMune) that inhibits the synthesis of TGF-beta and TNF-alpha, was associated with positive effects on lung function, 6-minute walk test distance, and progression-free survival in patients with mild-to-moderate idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, according to a study published in The Lancet.

For the fourth consecutive year, diabetes therapy topped the list of contributors to drug use trends in therapeutic categories, contributing 16.1% to overall growth in drug spending in 2010 due to an increasing number of patients, according to the recently released 2011 Medco Drug Trend Report, which tracks utilization and spending.

The anticholinergic drug tiotropium is more effective than the ?2-agonist salmeterol in preventing exacerbations in patients with moderate-to-very-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a multicenter European study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.