Forest Laboratories’ Colobreathe launch welcomed by charity

Forest Laboratories' newly approved product Colobreathe has been welcomed by a leading UK health charity as an important new advance for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust has responded positively to news that the European Medicines Agency has ratified the product for the treatment of chronic lung infection caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa in CF patients aged six years and older.

A dry powder formulation containing colistimethate sodium for inhalation, it has proven its efficacy compared to a leading competitor in clinical trials and will be introduced in Germany in mid-2012.

Currently, the company is planning to introduce the drug in the UK by September, but the Cystic Fibrosis Trust is seeking to work with Forest Laboratories to make it available as soon as possible.

Matthew Reed, chief executive of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: "Pseudomonas is the leading cause of infection and subsequent lung damage in people with CF, so this EU approval is exciting news."