Tiotropium Respimat is Effective for the Treatment of Asthma at a Dose Lower Than That for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Link to article at PubMed

Tiotropium Respimat is Effective for the Treatment of Asthma at a Dose Lower Than That for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2015 Dec 9;

Authors: Chin SJ, Durmowicz AG, Chowdhury BA

Abstract
Anticholinergic drug products are not part of the current treatment paradigm for asthma, despite their widespread availability for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interest in their use for asthma. Published study results, mostly of short duration and primarily with ipratropium and tiotropium, have revealed inconsistent efficacy results. Consequently, the role of inhaled anticholinergics in the treatment of asthma has been unclear. This commentary discusses and comments on data from five clinical trials in adults that were submitted by Boehringer Ingelheim to the US Food and Drug Administration to support approval of tiotropium delivered by the Respimat device (Spiriva Respimat) for the treatment of asthma. These trials provided substantial evidence that supported the approval of Spiriva Respimat at a recommended dose of 2.5 µg once daily for asthma. Notably, in trials which evaluated two doses of tiotropium, 2.5 µg and 5 µg (the dose approved for COPD), pulmonary function measures for Spiriva Respimat 2.5 µg once daily were better overall than those obtained for the 5 µg once daily dose, thus justifying selection of the lower dose for asthma. The approval of Spiriva Respimat signifies the first new class of drug approved for asthma in over a decade. The availability of Spiriva Respimat for asthma along with other novel therapies currently under development has the potential to impact asthma treatment guidelines.

PMID: 26650145 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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