GlaxoSmithKline announces combined study results for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Men with enlarged prostates who took a combination of Avodart (dutasteride) and tamsulosin experienced greater improvement in urinary symptoms than those who took either medication alone, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced today.

Results of the Combination of Avodart and Tamsulosin (Combat) study, which is one of the biggest clinical trials yet in the area of benign prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged prostate), are due to be published in next month’s Journal of Urology.

The study involved male patients suffering from moderate to severe enlarged prostate symptoms, all of whom received a placebo for four weeks and were then randomised to receive either the combination therapy or monotherapy.

After 24 months, Combat results discovered the combination treatment to generate “significantly greater” improvements when measured with the International Prostate Symptom Score.

“Combat is an important contribution to our evolving understanding of the management of enlarged prostate,” said Dr Steven A Kaplan, who authored comment to accompany the trial results.

“Combination therapy yielded greater improvement in symptom score than either montherapy within the first year of treatment, which appears to be a new finding,” he added.

Earlier this week, GSK revealed positive top-line results from a study focused on restless legs syndrome.