New Study Demonstrates Rapid Speed Of Onset With Budesonide/formoterol In COPD

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New data from a study investigating the
onset of action with respect to airway dilatation in budesonide/formoterol
(Symbicort(R)), salmeterol/fluticasone (SeretideT), salbutamol and placebo
were announced today at the European Respiratory Society 2006 Annual
Congress (ERS)1. The data show that budesonide/formoterol has an onset of
action that is similar to that of salbutamol and faster than that of
salmeterol/fluticasone in patients with COPD.


"Speed of onset is as important in COPD as it is in asthma, especially in
the morning when patients often require a rapid onset of bronchodilatory
effect. Rapid symptom relief from a maintenance treatment will most likely
also provide improved compliance. Therefore the data presented today is very
interesting and adds to our understanding of the role of
budesonide/formoterol in treatment of COPD," said Professor Martyn R.
Partridge, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London.


In the double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled crossover study, 88
patients were randomised to four treatments to receive either single doses
of budesonide/formoterol, salmeterol/fluticasone, salbutamol or placebo in
order to compare the onset of action in patients with COPD. Treatments were
administered via pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDI)*. The primary
endpoint was an improvement in airway dilatation measured by a change in
FEV1 at 5 minutes after inhalation.


The study showed that budesonide/formoterol improved FEV1 to a greater
extent than placebo and that the onset of effect with budesonide/formoterol
was similar to that seen with reliever therapy salbutamol and faster than
salmeterol/fluticasone. Maximal effect on Inspiratory Capacity, regarded as
predictor of exercise tolerance, was greater with budesonide/formoterol as
compared to salmeterol/fluticasone. Improvement in lung function parameters
for all three active treatments was superior to placebo after 180 minutes,
but the two combination treatments were better than the SABA alone at
maintaining the improvement in FEV1.


"Speed of onset is as important in COPD as it is in asthma, especially in
the morning when patients often require a rapid onset of bronchodilatory
effect. The findings from the study confirm that rapid onset of action can
also be exerted by maintenance therapies in COPD," concluded Martyn R.
Partridge.


* Budesonide/formoterol is licensed for use in COPD patients with an
FEV1