- New treatment combines reliever and preventative treatments in one puff
- Research shows it is easier to use than current drugs
- And the new inhaler can also be used by patients suffering from COPD
By
Jenny Hope
00:33 GMT, 8 January 2014
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00:33 GMT, 8 January 2014
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New hope: The new once-a-day treatment gives 24-hour help to asthmatics, many of whom are failing to keep the condition under control
The first once-a-day inhaler for asthma sufferers has been approved for use in Britain.
The new treatment gives 24-hour help to asthmatics, many of whom are currently failing to keep the condition under control.
Asthma is an inflammatory disease that constricts the airways, resulting in attacks of breathlessness that can be fatal. It affects more than five million Britons, many with moderate to severe problems.
Up to three out of four of these patients have ‘uncontrolled’ symptoms despite having one inhaler to combat an attack and a second to keep the airways open.
Studies show patients find it hard to follow complicated instructions about when to use different inhalers, and that incorrect use often leads to asthma attacks and the need for hospital treatment.
Combined reliever and preventative treatments currently on the market need to be used at least twice a day, which some patients struggle to do, say asthma experts.
The new drug called Relvar Ellipta is the first to combine a daily dose of a steroid to reduce inflammation and a new type of long-acting beta2 agonist, a drug that dilates the airways.
Although some patients may also need to carry a blue inhaler for immediate relief, others will be able to dispense with them.
Research shows patients use the grey palm-sized device correctly from the start and up to six weeks later.
In addition, the new inhaler can be used by thousands of people living with the lung disease COPD.
Dr Dominick Shaw, of Nottingham Respiratory Research Unit, said ‘Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are chronic lung diseases that affect millions of people in the UK.
‘They can severely affect a person’s ability to lead a normal life.
‘Both diseases are associated with attacks – exacerbations of the underlying disease, often triggered by infection, where symptoms worsen, breathing becomes even harder and treatment with high dose oral steroids can be required.
‘People with attacks often require an admission to hospital to treat their disease.
‘The mainstay of treatment for improving symptoms and reducing attacks for both asthma and COPD is inhaled medication; the release of Relvar Ellipta is a welcome addition in the fight against these chronic lung diseases.’
The NHS spends around £1billion a year treating and caring for people with asthma, and for COPD the costs are estimated to be over £800million.
Life saver: Asthma is an inflammatory disease that constricts the airways, resulting in attacks of breathlessness that can be fatal. It affects more than five million Britons, many with moderate to severe problems
The new inhaler made by GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance costs £27.80 or £38.87 depending on the strength which is similar to some twice-daily combination inhalers.
It has been approved for prescribing by GPs and asthma specialists to adults and adolescents aged 12 and older by the European Commission but will be evaluated for cost effectiveness by the NHS drug watchdog, the National Institute for health and Care Excellence.
As part of its assessment, the European Medicines Agency reviewed results of 10 clinical studies in 7,783 patients with COPD and 16 trials in 9,326 patients with asthma.
Dr Samantha Walker, of Asthma UK, said ‘There are over 5million people with asthma in the UK and we know that a significant number find it difficult to remember to take their preventer inhalers, which sometimes have to be taken several times day.
‘We are very interested to see if using an inhaler that can be taken just once-a-day improves the regular use of preventer medicine, particularly in those whose symptoms are not managed as well as they could be and who are at an increased risk of an attack.’