Medical

A study by Harvard researchers published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that patients reported similar relief of symptoms from use of a placebo inhaler compared to use of an albuterol inhaler. Although the albuterol inhaler resulted in significantly greater increase in FEV1 (20% vs. 7% for the placebo), the albuterol inhaler showed no significantly … [Read more...] about Patients using placebo inhalers report significant relief of symptoms

University of South Florida researchers have successfully delivered an anti-inflammatory drug to the lower lungs of rats by injecting a formulation of Sertolli cells, chitosan nanoparticles, and curcumin into the rats' tails. Over 90% of the drug reached the pulmonary circulatory system within 15 minutes of injection. Sertolli cells, which are found in the testes, … [Read more...] about Researchers describe injectable system for drug delivery to the lung

NVA237, a glycopyrronium bromide dry powder formulation licensed by Novartis from Sosei and Vectura has met its primary endpoint in the Phase 3 GLOW2 trial. According to Sosei, the study showed that NVA237 had similar efficacy to tiotropium and provided significant improvement in lung function when given once a day to COPD patients with moderate-to-severe … [Read more...] about Phase 3 study shows NVA237 as effective as tiotropium

Researchers from the University of Goteborg, Sweden, have found that an intranasal cellulose powder significantly reduced allergic rhinitis symptoms in children. The double-blind study involved 53 children with allergies to birch pollen. Nils Åberg, associate professor at the Department of Pediatrics and consultant at the Queen Silvia Children's Hospital … [Read more...] about Study finds cellulose nasal powder effective for allergic rhinitis

A study of COPD patients by researchers from Johhs Hopkins found that use of inhaled corticosteroids for six months increased the risk of bone fracture by 27%. The researchers reviewed data from both double-blind and observational studies involving a total of more than 85,000 patients using inhaled fluticasone or budesonide. "It was surprising to find an increased … [Read more...] about Long-term inhaled corticosteroid use increases risk of fracture

An intranasal formulation of diazepam being developed by Neurelis for the treatment of acute seizures outside of a hospital setting demonstrated 96% bioavailability compared to the only currently approved treatment, a rectal diazepam gel. The intranasal formulaiton, NRL-1, is delivered using a standard spray pump. Dr. James Wheless, Director of the LeBonheur … [Read more...] about Phase 1 study of intranasal diazepam shows positive results

A Phase 2b study of Aradigm's inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchietasis has shown a significant reduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa colony forming units per gram of sputum (CFUs) over a 28-day treatment period. The double blind ORBIT-1 (Once-Daily Respiratory Bronchiectasis Inhalation Treatment) study involved 95 patients in … [Read more...] about Positive results for Aradigm drug in bronchiectasis study

An article by Johns Hopkins researchers published in the BMJ, the British Medical Journal, suggests that patients using the Respimat tiotropium soft mist inhaler for the treatment of COPD are 52% more likely to die than those inhaling a placebo from a soft mist inhaler. "What we think is going on is that the mist inhaler is delivering a higher concentration of … [Read more...] about BMJ article links Respimat inhaler to increased mortality