By Alex MacDonald
LONDON--U.K.-listed drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline PLC
(GSK.LN) said Wednesday that it has begun the third phase trial of
a pulmonary inhalement drug aimed at simplifying the treatment of
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The drug treatment, called FF/UMEC/VI, is aimed at patients who
receive three medicines in different inhalers to treat the
pulmonary disease and for whom a once-daily treatment in a single
'closed' device would be valuable, the company said.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a disease of the lungs
that includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema or both. The disease
interferes with normal breathing.
"The IMPACT study will be important in advancing our
understanding of how the combination of FF/UMEC/VI could be used in
this setting when compared to dual combination therapy options,"
said Dave Allen, Head of GSK's R&D Respiratory Therapy Area
Unit.
The IMPACT study will enrol approximately 10,000 patients.
-Write to Alex MacDonald at alex.macdonald@wsj.com
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