LONDON: AstraZeneca’s Bevespi Aerosphere (glycopyrronium/formoterol fumarate) has been approved in China as a maintenance treatment to relieve symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.

The approval by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) was based on positive results from the Phase III PINNACLE 4 trial in which Bevespi Aerosphere demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in lung function as measured by trough forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), compared to its monotherapy components and placebo, all administered twice daily via pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) in patients with moderate to very severe COPD.

The trial formed part of the broader PINNACLE clinical trials programme showing efficacy and safety and involving more than 5,000 patients across Asia, Europe and the US.

This was the first approval by the NMPA for a maintenance, fixed-dose, long-acting dual bronchodilator combination therapy in a pMDI, which uses the innovative Aerosphere delivery technology.

Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects almost 100 million people in China and presents a significant patient and public health burden. The use of maintenance combination therapies in China is increasing year-on-year and the approval of Bevespi Aerosphere offers an important new treatment and choice of inhaler for patients, particularly those with limited lung function and advanced age who may benefit from using a pressurised metered-dose inhaler.”

Bevespi Aerosphere is already approved in the US, EU, Japan and other countries for the long-term maintenance treatment of moderate to very severe COPD.