AstraZeneca highlights two “pivotal” Symbicort studies

AstraZeneca has unveiled the details of two “pivotal” studies for its anti-asthma drug, Symbicort.

Britain’s second largest pharmaceutical company revealed that the addition of budesonide (Pulmicort) to a treatment of formoterol (Symbicort) and/or terbutaline “significantly reduces” mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in comparison to patients using Symbicort and/or terbutaline alone.

The new data ties in with similar previous trials that demonstrated a 17 per cent reduction in morbidity for patients using a fluticasone/salmeterol treatment, compared to the placebo.

Professor Paul Jones of the St George’s Hospital Medical School in London stated: “Previous studies have demonstrated that budesonide/formoterol is a very effective treatment in preventing COPD exacerbations, leading to clinically important improvements in health-related quality of life.”

“Today’s data are important, suggesting as it does that a combination of budesonide and formoterol may provide a tangible survival benefit as well as improving the patient’s quality of life,” he added.

Professor Peter Calverley of the Aintree Chester Centre, University of Liverpool, stated: “These data further demonstrate the link between COPD exacerbations and an increased risk of mortality, reinforcing the importance of reducing these events, as indicated by COPD guidelines.”

He added that previous studies for the drugs involved revealed that a combination therapy “significantly reduces” COPD exacerbations.

Symbicort is AstraZeneca’s second best-selling respiratory drug, bringing in $277 million (152 million pounds) during the first quarter of 2006. Pulmicort is the company’s top-selling respiratory drug.

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