A comparison of the efficacy and safety of once-daily fluticasone furoate/vilanterol with twice-daily fluticasone propionate/salmeterol in moderate to very severe COPD.

Fluticasone furoate/vilanterol trifenatate (FF/VI) is a once-daily inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting ß2-agonist combination in development for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment. We compared the efficacy and safety of FF/VI versus fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FP/SAL) twice daily over 12 weeks. Moderate to very severe COPD patients received FF/VI 100/25 µg once daily in the morning (n=266) or FP/SAL 500/50 µg twice daily (n=262). The primary end-point was a change from baseline in 0-24 h weighted mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (wmFEV1) at 12 weeks. Additional end-points included time to 100 mL improvement from baseline on day 1 and a change from baseline in St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Safety was also assessed. wmFEV1 (mean 130 mL) was greater and time to 100 mL improvement shorter (median 16 min) with FF/VI than FP/SAL (weighted mean 108 mL, median 28 min). Health status (SGRQ total score) improved in both groups (FF/VI -4.3 units, FP/SAL -3.0 units). Differences between treatments were not statistically significant. Six patients in the FF/VI (2%) and three in the FP/SAL (1%) arm experienced serious adverse events, none of which were considered to be drug related. Improvements in lung function and health status were not significantly different between FF/VI 100/25 µg once daily and FP/SAL 500/50 µg twice daily; there was no apparent difference between the safety profiles of either therapy.

Accuracy of death certificates in COPD: analysis from the TORCH trial.

The Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) trial was an international clinical trial of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients where cause of death was assigned by an independent committee. Comparison of death certificate data and adjudicated cause of death allows a unique opportunity to determine death certificate accuracy and frequency of COPD listing on death certificates of COPD patients. In this analysis, the authors determine the concordance between adjudicated cause of death and primary and secondary cause of death from death certificates. In 317 (80%) of informative deaths, the primary or secondary cause of death from certificates agreed with adjudicated cause of death. Only 229 (58%) of death certificates in these COPD patients listed COPD on the certificate. COPD was not listed on the death certificate in 21% of deaths adjudicated to be caused by COPD exacerbation. Compared with pulmonary causes, the listing of COPD on certificates occurred with less frequency than cardiovascular, cancer and other categories of death. The combined primary and secondary listing on death certificates has good concordance with actual cause of death. COPD is under-reported on death certificates, and this under-reporting is more frequent when the primary cause of death is not pulmonary.

Effect of once-daily fluticasone furoate/vilanterol on 24-hour pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized, three-way, incomplete block, crossover study.

BACKGROUND: Available inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting ß(2)-agonist combinations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) require twice-daily administration. The combination of fluticasone furoate (FF) and vilanterol (VI) FF/VI is being developed in a novel dry powder inhaler for the treatment of COPD and asthma with the potential for once-daily dosing. Results from Phase II studies have shown clinically and statistically significant improvements over placebo in trough (24-hour postdose) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) after once-daily dosing with FF or VI (VI concurrently with an inhaled corticosteroid) in asthma and VI in COPD. OBJECTIVES: This Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed based on guidance from drug regulators with the goal of evaluating the 24-hour spirometric effect of once-daily FF/VI in patients with COPD. METHODS: Patients (aged ≥40 years) who completed a 2-week placebo run-in period were randomized to 1 of 18 three-course sequences of placebo and 2 of 3 dose combinations of FF/VI (50/25 µg, 100/25 µg, and 200/25 µg), dosed once daily in the morning. Each 28-day treatment period was separated by a 2-week, single-blind, placebo washout period. The primary end point was time-adjusted (weighted mean) 0 to 24-hour FEV(1) (AUC) at the end of each 28-day treatment period (period days 28-29). Safety profile assessments included incidence of adverse events (AEs) (defined according to the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities), 12-lead ECG outputs, vital signs (pulse rate, diastolic and systolic blood pressure) and clinical laboratory assessments (including fasting serum glucose and potassium) and 24-hour serum cortisol. The pharmacokinetics of FF and VI were assessed at the end of each 28-day treatment period with FF/VI. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients were screened; 54 completed run-in and were randomized to double-blind treatment. The mean patient age was 57.9 years, and 46% were male. The majority of patients were current smokers (83%) and were receiving short-acting ß(2)-agonists within the 3 months before screening (63%). All 3 strengths of once-daily FF/VI demonstrated significantly higher 0 to 24-hour (period days 28-29) change from period baseline weighted mean FEV(1) than placebo: adjusted mean improvements from placebo in FEV(1) for FF/VI were 220 to 236 mL (all, P < 0.001). Improvements versus placebo in change from period baseline serial FEV(1) measures were observed at each time-point and with each strength of FF/VI over the 0 to 25-hour period (period days 28-29), indicating sustained bronchodilation. The overall incidence of on-treatment AEs was low (10%-12% with FF/VI; 4% with placebo); 2 serious AEs were reported during washout periods (1 AE after FF/VI 50/25 µg and 1 AE after placebo) but neither was considered treatment related. No serious AEs were reported during the treatment periods or during the follow-up period. No clinically or statistically significant differences from placebo were reported for serum glucose or potassium. No significant effects on vital signs, ECG, or 24-hour serial serum cortisol were reported. The extent of systemic exposure to FF and VI at steady state was low for all strengths of FF/VI. CONCLUSIONS: FF/VI inhaled once daily in the morning for 28 days produced significant improvements in pulmonary function with a prolonged (>24 hours') duration of action in this population of patients with COPD. The combination was well tolerated. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01072149.