INTENSITY study of Onbrez Breezhaler and Spiriva in COPD reported in European Respiratory Journal

Results of the INTENSITY study ,being a comparison of Onbrez Breezhaler (indacaterol) from Novartis with Spiriva(tiotropium)from Boehringer/Pfizer were announced in November 2010. These results showed once-daily Onbrez Breezhaler was as effective as Spiriva in improving lung function in COPD patients. It also demonstrated that the indacaterol treatment provides "significantly greater clinical benefit in terms of reduced shortness of breath, lower use of reliever medication and improved capacity for day-to-day activities". The study is now reported in the European Respiratory Journal see R. Buhl, L.J. Dunn, C. Disdier, C. Lassen, C. Amos, M. Henley, and B. Kramer, on behalf of the INTENSITY study investigators Blinded 12-week comparison of once-daily indacaterol and tiotropium in COPD Eur Respir J 2011 38:797-803; published ahead of print 2011, doi:10.1183/09031936.00191810 PMID:20920365 PubMed - in process