Boehringer Ingelheim reports positive data from asthma drug trials

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced positive data from phase III clinical trials assessing tiotropium Respimat in the treatment of asthma.

Data from the MezzoTinA-asthma twin studies showed that the addition of tiotropium Respimat improved lung function and provided sustained bronchodilation over 24 hours to patients with symptomatic asthma, despite moderate-dose maintenance inhaled corticosteroid therapy.

This is the first trial data to demonstrate the effectiveness of this therapy among patients who have been previously treated in this way, adding to the growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of the drug.

Currently, at least 40 percent of asthma patients remain symptomatic despite current standard treatment options and may continue to experience asthma exacerbations.

Professor Klaus Dugi, corporate senior vice-president for medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: "This new data gives us confidence that tiotropium could become an important new add-on treatment option for those patients with asthma who remain symptomatic despite current standard treatments."

This week, the company also reported positive data from Tiospir, a large-scale clinical study of its chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drug Spiriva.