Boehringer Ingelheim announces Uplift trial results

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the results of its landmark Uplift trial for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The company presented data from the study at the annual congress of the European Respiratory Society in Berlin, Germany.

It said Spiriva (tiotropium) showed sustained improvements in lung function for up to four years in COPD patients, though it did not change the rate of decline in lung function.

According to the Uplift trial, Spiriva also produced a significant delay in the time to first exacerbation and reduction in the number of exacerbations, while also lowering the risk of these incidents leading to hospitalisations.

The firm added the 5,993 patient study also confirmed the favourable safety profile for the compound.

Dr Anders Ostrem, former president of the International Primary Care Respiratory Group, said: “The results from Uplift are good news, especially for primary care physicians who are usually the first medical contact a patient has once they decide to seek treatment.”

He added the study offers the confidence that benefits from Spiriva are sustained in the long-term, allowing patients with COPD to lead active lives for longer.

Last month, Boehringer Ingelheim and Pfizer released the results of a new analysis of 30 controlled trials confirming the long-term safety profile of Spiriva.