New Data Provide Further Evidence of Lung Function Improvemen?ts in Severe Asthma with Tiotropium Delivered via the Respimat Inhaler

Boehringer Ingelheim has presented the latest data for tiotropium in asthma at the 2013 American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) annual meeting (CHEST 2013) in Chicago.

The CHEST session "Tiotropium and Asthma" features a total of four oral presentations from Phase II and III studies of tiotropium delivered via the Respimat inhaler in severe asthma patients. Tiotropium is currently being evaluated to determine the efficacy and safety in treating asthma patients and is not currently approved for this indication.

Pooled Phase III data being presented from the replicate PrimoTinA-asthma studies (NCT00772538 and NCT00776984) provide further evidence for tiotropium delivered via the Respimat inhaler as a possible add-on treatment for severe persistent asthma.

Data presented at CHEST show that in adult asthma patients who remain symptomatic despite treatment with at least inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)/long-acting beta-2 agonists (LABA), tiotropium delivered via the Respimat inhaler reduced the risk of severe asthma exacerbations and any asthma exacerbation. These results add to data from the ongoing Phase III trial programme that has previously shown positive results for tiotropium in severe asthma patients who remained symptomatic despite treatment with at least ICS/LABA.

"There is a serious unmet need for additional therapies for severe asthma patients who remain symptomatic and experience exacerbations despite current treatment," said Donald P. Tashkin, MD, emeritus professor of medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, and lead author on one of the presentations. "The data being presented at CHEST add further evidence of the potential of tiotropium in treating severe symptomatic asthma."

Asthma exacerbations (or attacks) occur in patients across all degrees of asthma severity and are an important cause of asthma-related morbidity and mortality.

"The CHEST session featuring four oral presentations communicating the clinical trial results of tiotropium, is a testament to the breadth and depth of our UniTinA-asthma programme and the company's leadership position in developing new therapies for lung diseases," said Tunde Otulana, MD, senior vice president, Clinical Development and Medical Affairs, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "We at Boehringer Ingelheim are committed to developing new treatments for the growing number of asthma patients who remain symptomatic despite current therapy and are encouraged by these additional findings."