Atlana Pharma drug included in Gina guidelines

Alvesco (ciclesonide), a once-daily inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment for asthma from Atlana Pharma has been included in recently published guidelines by the Global Initiative for Asthma (Gina).

The Gina guidelines recommend ICS treatments that address airway inflammation and lower bronchial tube constrictions that controls and reduces constriction as a controlling therapy for the treatment of asthma, promoting a mono-ICS therapy for patients not using short-acting beta-2-agonists.

Physicians are advised by the guidelines to promote the notion that patients receive best possible control with the lowest possible dosage of medication.

Alvesco is currently available in 23 countries, including the UK, with further market launches planned for later this year.

Professor Paul O’Byrne, chair of the Gina executive, said: “ICS therapies, with the ability to reduce inflammation and control symptoms are the gold standard in asthma treatment.”

He added that Alvesco was an “important addition” to the initiative’s new guidelines, being a mono-ICS treatment which has shown an outstanding safety profile and similar efficacy to similar treatments achieved at lower doses.

In February, Atlana announced that Alvesco had its indication enhanced to include the treatment of adolescent patients with mild to severe persistent asthma in Europe.