Almirall reports positive trial data for Eklira Genuair

Almirall's Eklira Genuair – a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) maintenance treatment delivered via a novel inhaler delivery system – has demonstrated its efficacy in a pair of phase IIIb clinical trials.

In the first of these studies, the therapy showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in bronchodilation compared with placebo, as well as helping to address COPD symptoms.

Meanwhile, the second trial demonstrated that Eklira Genuair generated significantly higher patient preference and satisfaction rates than an alternative inhaler device, while also helping to cut the number of critical inhaler use errors.

Bertil Lindmark, chief scientific officer at Almirall, said: "The reliable bronchodilation and symptom improvements demonstrated by Eklira Genuair during the day and at night provide a new valuable treatment option to COPD patients."

The product was approved by regulators in July and will be marketed by Almirall and partner Menarini under the names Eklira Genuair or Bretaris Genuair, depending on region, while Forest Laboratories is selling it in the US as Tudorza Pressair.