Studies show Onbrez Breezhaler/Arcapta Neohaler (Novartis) effective for patients with COPD

New results from a pooled post-hoc sub-group analysis from three studies (INVOLVE, INHANCE and INLIGHT2) showed that Onbrez Breezhaler/Arcapta Neohaler (indacaterol maleate), from Novartis, was statistically significantly more effective than OL tiotropium at improving breathlessness in COPD. These three randomized studies included 3,176 patients with moderate-to-severe COPD and assessed patients randomized to receive once-daily indacaterol maleate 150 mcg, once-daily indacaterol maleate 300 mcg, placebo or once-daily OL tiotropium 18 mcg for six months.

In patients with less severe breathlessness at the start of the study both indacaterol maleate 150 mcg and 300 mcg were similarly effective at increasing trough FEV1, reducing breathlessness and improving health-related quality of life and were both superior to placebo. The results for the two indacaterol doses were similar to OL tiotropium 18 mcg compared to placebo. In patients with more severe breathlessness at the start of the studies, treatment with indacaterol maleate 150 mcg was more effective than placebo at improving breathlessness. Indacaterol maleate 300 mcg was also more effective than OL tiotropium 18 mcg at increasing trough FEV1 and improving breathlessness. Results were presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress.