Boehringer Ingelheim enrols first patient for COPD drug trial

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the enrolment of its first patient for a new phase III trial of an investigational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) therapy.

The company has officially commenced the TOviTO study programme to evaluate tiotropium plus olodaterol as a once-daily fixed-dose combination treatment for COPD, with more than 5,000 patients ultimately set to be involved.

It aims to establish the safety and efficacy of this combination therapy option compared to both compounds on their own, with treatments to be administered using the company's Respimat Soft Mist inhaler.

Boehringer Ingelheim has created this new therapy option with the aim of combining the benefits of the long-acting muscarinic antagonist tiotropium with olodaterol, a long-acting beta 2-agonist.

Professor Klaus Dugi, corporate senior vice-president of medicine for Boehringer Ingelheim, said: "The development of a true once-daily LABA as a partner to tiotropium underscores the company's commitment to meet the unmet medical needs of COPD patients and improve clinical outcomes."

Earlier this week, the company received Scottish Medicines Consortium approval for Pradaxa, its clinically proven new treatment for atrial fibrillation-related stroke.