Novartis launches new COPD treatment in UK

Novartis has introduced Onbrez Breezhaler, a new chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment for adult patients, to the UK market.

The treatment, a 24-hour long-acting beta agonist, is the first of its kind and represents the first approved COPD treatment to be launched in the UK for eight years.

Onbrez Breezhaler has won the backing of both the European Medicines Agency and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, providing rapid and sustained improvement in lung function over 24 hours.

It is hoped that the treatment's launch will provide a new therapy option for the estimated 3.5 million people who suffer from COPD in the UK.

Dr Steve Holmes, a GP with a specialist interest in COPD and chair of the Primary Care Respiratory Society, said: "This new treatment is great news as it offers a once daily treatment for people with COPD suffering from breathlessness. The early research shows significant improvements in patients' quality of life."

Last month, Novartis published new data from a clinical trial of the blood pressure treatment Rasilez, demonstrating its efficacy compared to a number of alternatives over a one-year period.