Specific role of combination aclidinium: formoterol in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Maria Gabriella Matera,1 Alessandro Sanduzzi,2 Mario Cazzola3 1Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, 2Department of Respiratory Diseases, Monaldi Hospital, University Federico II, Naples, 3Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy Abstract: Co-administration of a long-acting β2-agonist and a long acting muscarinic antagonist produces superior bronchodilation compared with their individual effects. Our preclinical data indicated that combining aclidinium bromide (ACLI) and formoterol fumarate (FORM) provides synergistic benefit on smooth muscle relaxation of both large and small human airways. Data from more than 2,000 patients in eleven clinical trials documented that ACLI/FORM, a twice-daily fixed-dose combination, produces a greater degree of bronchodilation than ACLI or FORM monotherapy alone and is safe and well tolerated. Two large key trials have shown that there is a benefit in using ACLI/FORM when the clinical target is the variability of symptoms and mainly nighttime and/or early morning symptoms. ACLI/FORM is the only long acting muscarinic antagonist/long acting β2-agonist fixed-dose combination that has been studied for this therapeutic indication. Keywords: aclidinium, formoterol, fixed-dose combination, COPD, symptoms

Keywords

• Aclidinium
• formoterol
• fixed-dose combination
• COPD
• symptoms