GSK launches once daily, single inhaler-triple therapy for COPD patients for the first time in India

Bangalore GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited launched Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol), the first single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT) in India for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients in a once-daily regime.

The launch follows the product’s approval by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for use of Trelegy Ellipta as maintenance treatment to prevent and relieve symptoms associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in patients aged 18 and above.

Dr. Rashmi Hegde, Executive Vice President – Medical Affairs, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited, said, “We are thrilled to launch Trelegy Ellipta, enabling a greater number of Indian COPD patients to benefit from this world-leading medicine. This is a significant milestone which exemplifies the GSK ambition for patients. Healthcare professionals in India now have a new once-daily, single inhaler triple therapy for the optimal treatment of their COPD patients.”

Dr. Ravindra Mehta, Chief of Apollo Bangalore Advanced Pulmonary Services, said, “Today, we are talking about a ground-breaking discovery for the treatment of patients with COPD. We know these patients have a lot of problems and take a lot of medications. In the improving landscape of respiratory medicine, the multiple inhalers they consume is now combined into a single inhaler which will improve their ability to be regular with their treatment, avoid confusion, reduce their medication burden and improve their quality of life. This unique partnership of science and medication compliance is very important in modern times when patients have so many medical problems to ease their daily burden.”

In usual clinical care, treatment with single-inhaler Trelegy Ellipta results in significantly more patients with health status improvements and greater lung benefit, versus multi-inhaler triple therapy, with similar safety profiles1.

Trelegy is delivered via the innovative Ellipta inhaler that provides accurate dosing through its consistent dose delivery mechanism and is associated with less inhaler teaching time compared to other commonly used inhalers.2,3