Study from GlaxoSmithKline and Innoviva Inc. improves asthma control

GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Innoviva recently conducted a first of its kind research on asthma control.

The Salford Lung Study (SLS) results revealed patients initiated with Relvar Ellipta, a once-a-day inhaler, had twice the odds of achieving an improvement in asthma control compared with patients continuing usual care.

The results of the study also showed that 71 percent of participants experienced better control of their asthma, compared with patients continuing usual care treatment (56 percent).

This is a pioneering research in asthma control and the first multiyear drug trial under real world conditions.

“In a traditional double-blind randomised control trial, the effectiveness of treatments on asthma control is difficult to investigate since the intrusive monitoring can influence patient behavior. However, the SLS focused on patients continuing usual care, gaining real-time major endpoints.

This clinical study allowed decision makers to better evaluate the effectiveness of medicines in a broader population sample,” a press release said.

Asthma is a major burden to patients and health care systems globally; around 358 million people in the world suffer from asthma. In the MENA region, around 40 million individuals suffer from multiple respiratory diseases, which accounts to approximately 10-30 percent of the population.

In 2014, 40 percent of UAE asthmatics reported unscheduled emergency visits, with 64 percent suffering sudden severe asthma attacks.

The cost of treating asthma is substantially higher in the GCC than in Europe.

Andrew Miles, vice president and general manager of GSK in the GCC, said: “We at GSK are continuously looking at new ways of working. From technical innovations in respiratory to ensuring transparent pricing, we focus on making peoples’ lives better. We have been in the GCC for over 60 years; asthma is prevalent in the region and our patients are always looking at better ways of managing their condition.

This pioneering research study marks the first time that asthma research was conducted with patients in real-time. Poor control can have a major impact on the lives of asthma patients, whereby asthmatics in the MENA region report an average loss of four days of work per year due to asthma. Our Salford Lung Study has found that the GSK once a day inhaler can make significant improvements in asthma patients.”

Eric Dube, senior vice president and head, Global Respiratory Franchise GSK, said: “Despite medical advances, more than half of patients with asthma continue to experience poor control and significant symptoms.

This study has been a tremendous partnership effort between health care professionals, patients, academics and GSK and we would like to thank everyone who has helped to make this unique study possible.”