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New Drug for COPD

Darrell Hulisz, RPh, PhamD
Maureen Peklar, Do

March 3, 2014

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation and an enhanced chronic inflammatory process in the lungs. Treatment consists of stepwise therapy utilizing monotherapy or combination therapy of inhaled corticosteroids, short-acting beta2-adrenergic agonists (SABA), long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist (LABA), anticholinergics, and oral corticosteroids. Recently, a novel once daily combination product, Breo Ellipta, was FDA approved for the treatment of COPD.

Breo Ellipta is a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid (fluticasone furoate) and a LABA (vilanterol). The recommended dose of Breo Ellipta is a once daily oral inhalation of 100 mcg/25 mcg, and no dosage adjustments are required for special populations. As with all inhaled corticosteroids, after inhalation, patients should rinse their mouth with water to reduce risk of oral fungal infections. In the study that made Breo Ellipta gain FDA approval by Bollmeier et al. it was shown that Breo Ellipta 100/25 provided subjects with rapid and significant sustained brochodilation in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD.

1. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Global Strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of COPD. Jan 2014 [cited 29 Jan 2014]. Available from: http://www.goldcopd.org/guidelines-global-strategy-for-diagnosis-management.html

2. Goldenberg MM. Pharmaceutical approval update. P T. 2013 Jul;38(7):389-403.

3. Bollmeier SG, Prosser TR. Combination of fluticasone furoate and vilanterol for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ann Pharmacother 2014;48(2):250-7.

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