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Boehringer Ingelheim launches Spiolto for COPD

pharmafile | July 2, 2015 | News story | Sales and Marketing Boehringer Ingelheim, COPD, Europe, Spiolto, Spiriva, Striverdi 

Boehringer Ingelheim is beginning a new push in lung disease across Europe after being approved by regulators in nine countries to market its new COPD drug Spiolto.

The Germans firm’s latest drug for chronic obstructive respiratory disease, Spiolto, is a combination of two of the company’s existing treatments, Spiriva (tiotropium) and Striverdi (olodaterol).

Spiriva is a long acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), while Striverdi is a long-acting β2-adrenergic agonist (LABA). Spiriva is the most-prescribed maintenance therapy for COPD worldwide, but net sales fell by 9% to €3.2 billion in 2014 – leaving BI looking for sources of new income from the drug.

BI says the combination, which is available in the firm’s Respimat inhaler, provides additional improvement in lung function and quality of life compared to Spiriva, as well as a reduction in breathlessness and less use of rescue medication.

Spiolto is now available in the first European countries in BI’s latest expansion, which sees the drug launched in the UK, Croatia, Slovakia, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Austria, Romania and Spain. The company says that approvals of the treatment in other European countries are expected to follow in the coming months.

Charles de Wet, Boehringer Ingelheim UK’s medical director, says. “COPD is a condition where the airways become inflamed and the air sacs in the lungs are damaged. Consequently, people with COPD have breathing difficulties and this can affect many aspects of their day-to-day life.

“Spiolto Respimat demonstrated a significant increase in lung function and a significant improvement in quality of life for patients. Its recent approval for use in the UK is an important step forward in our ongoing commitment to provide effective solutions for patients with COPD.”

While Roland Buhl, who is professor of medicine and head of the pulmonary department at Mainz University Hospital, says Spiolto is “a promising new therapeutic advance in COPD”.

He adds: “The additional benefits gained from Spiolto Respimat compared to Spiriva are significant for patients and data show the lung function benefits are even greater when used in the initial stages of COPD. Optimal management right from the start of maintenance therapy may give patients with this highly debilitating lung disease, the best opportunity to stay active, manage their symptoms and have a better quality of life.”

Lilian Anekwe

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