GSK’s treatment for COPD is granted marketing authorisation

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that its once-daily single inhaler triple therapy, Trelegy Ellipta, for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been granted marketing authorisation by the European Commission.

This authorisation covers the therapy to be used as a maintenance treatment in adult patients with moderate-to-severe COPD who are not adequately treated by a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid and a long acting beta2-agonist.

“COPD is a serious lung disease that affects millions of people. Its progressive nature means symptoms can worsen over time with many patients also experiencing frequent debilitating exacerbations,” explained Eric Dube, senior vice president & head, GSK Global Respiratory Franchise. “A combination of different types of medicines can be required to achieve treatment goals. Trelegy Ellipta is the first medicine to be approved in Europe that delivers three effective molecules in a once-daily single inhalation. We believe this is an important innovation in COPD management and look forward to making it available for appropriate patients with COPD.”

“Knowing that appropriate COPD patients will require triple therapy, Trelegy Ellipta affords the convenience of administration of three classes of medicines in a single inhaler,” added Mike Aguiar, CEO of Innoviva. “Having all three major classes of combination medication (ICS/LABA, LAMA/LABA, and now single inhaler triple therapy) in the single Ellipta inhaler is an important advance in inhaled therapeutics.”

Trelegy Ellipta is a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) and a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist (LABA), delivered once daily in GSK’s Ellipta dry powder inhaler.