By Neil Maclucas
ZURICH--Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) said it has filed for U.S.
regulatory approval of two drugs that treat chronic lung diseases
after late-stage clinical tests demonstrated the treatments met
their primary goals.
Basel-based Novartis said the tests of the drugs, known by the
code names QVA149 and NVA237, demonstrated significant improvements
in lung functions. The results of the tests will be used to support
submissions for approval to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration.
The QVA149 drug has already been approved for adult use in more
than 50 countries, including some within the European Union, Japan
and Australia. The NVA237 treatment has been approved for use in
more than 70 countries.
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD,
which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, have difficulty
breathing due to the narrowing of their air passages.
The World Health Organization estimates that around 210 million
people worldwide suffer from this group of diseases, which is the
third leading cause of death in the U.S. and the rest of the
world.
-Write to Neil Maclucas at neil.maclucas@wsj.com
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