Triple Combination Therapy Shows Positive Results for Patients with COPD

The Phase III ETHOS trial for AstraZeneca's budesonide, glycopyrronium and formoterol fumarate, 320/14.4/9.6mcg (Breztri Aerosphere) combination therapy, formerly known as PT010, has demonstrated positive results for patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).¹

The 52-week ETHOS trial assesses the efficacy and safety of this triple combination in symptomatic patients. The randomized, double-blinded study involves more than 8500 patients who have experienced moderate to severe exacerbation in the previous year, as well as patients receiving at least 2 inhaled maintenance treatments before beginning the trial.¹

The participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups, receiving either glycopyrronium-formoterol fumarate (Bevespi Aerosphere), budesonide-formoterol fumarate (Symbicort), or the triple-combination therapy. All the therapies are administered using a pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI).²

The budesonide-glycopyrronium-formoterol fumarate combination is composed of inhalable corticosteroid budesonide and 2 bronchodilators. In most recent results, the standard dose of this therapy was shown to effectively reduce episodes of exacerbation stemming from COPD compared to 2 other existing therapies. The triple-combination is also demonstrated to be as safe and tolerable as the other 2 approved dual-combination therapies.²

COPD is a progressive disease that affects around 384 million people worldwide and is predicted to be the third leading cause of death by 2020.¹

References

• Breztri Aerosphere Phase III ETHOS trial met its primary endpoint in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [news release]. AstraZeneca media room; August 28, 2019. https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2019/breztri-aerosphere-phase-iii-ethos-trial-met-its-primary-endpoint-in-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-28082019.html. Accessed September 5, 2019.
• Breztri Aerosphere Reduced COPD Exacerbations Better Than Approved Therapies, Phase 3 Trial Shows. COPD News Today website. https://copdnewstoday.com/2019/08/30/breztri-aerosphere-better-at-reducing-copd-exacerbations-trials-shows/. Published August 30, 2019. Accessed September 5, 2019.