GSK launches once daily, single inhaler-triple therapy for COPD patients for the first time in India

Mumbai: GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited launched Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol), the first single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT) in India for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients in a once-daily regime.

The launch follows the product’s approval by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for use of Trelegy Ellipta as maintenance treatment to prevent and relieve symptoms associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in patients aged 18 and above.

Dr. Rashmi Hegde, Executive Vice President - Medical Affairs, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited, said, "We are thrilled to launch Trelegy Ellipta, enabling a greater number of Indian COPD patients to benefit from this world-leading medicine. This is a significant milestone which exemplifies the GSK ambition for patients. Healthcare professionals in India now have a new once-daily, single inhaler triple therapy for the optimal treatment of their COPD patients."

Dr. Deepak Talwar, Director & Chair - Pulmonary, Sleep, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine at Metro Group of Hospitals, said, "COPD is associated with major healthcare and socioeconomic burden on patients and their caregivers. In appropriate patients, studies show that a combination of three different types of medicines for COPD can effectively improve patients' symptoms and reduce the risk of symptom worsening. Considering 75% COPD patients have four or more co-existing medical conditions, the burden of managing and taking many medications may overwhelm patients, resulting in suboptimal treatment. Single-inhaler triple therapy has the potential role to simplify treatment, improve treatment adherence and patient outcomes."

In usual clinical care, treatment with single-inhaler Trelegy Ellipta results in significantly more patients with health status improvements and greater lung benefit, versus multi-inhaler triple therapy, with similar safety profiles.¹

Trelegy is delivered via the innovative Ellipta inhaler that provides accurate dosing through its consistent dose delivery mechanism and is associated with less inhaler teaching time compared to other commonly used inhalers.^2,3

About COPD

COPD is a common, preventable, and treatable chronic lung disease which affects men and women worldwide⁴. Estimated COPD prevalence in India is over 100 million and accounts for over 9.5% of the total deaths in India⁵. COPD is usually caused by cigarette smoking, though long-term exposure to other lung irritants, like secondhand smoke, can also contribute to COPD^6,7. Common symptoms of COPD include breathlessness or difficulty breathing, chronic cough, often with phlegm, and tiredness⁴.

For COPD patients who remain symptomatic and are at risk of exacerbations, guideline recommends stepping up to triple therapy⁸ which is currently administered through a combination of two or more inhalers in India.

However, patients who use multiple inhalers are more likely to use their inhaler incorrectly and it has been observed that once-daily dosing is preferred by most patients and associated with increased adherence to COPD treatment^9-12.

About GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited is a subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline plc, one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

For more information, visit www.gsk-india.com

Media Contact

Ransom D'Souza
Executive Vice-President - Communications and Government Affairs
ransom.a.dsouza@gsk.com

References:

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