An inhalable drug treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease received FDA-approval June 26, drugmaker Verona Pharma announced.
It is the first FDA-approved treatment for COPD in more than two decades, according to the release.
"[D]espite maintenance therapy, most patients report grappling with daily symptoms, including breathlessness and persistent coughing," Michael Wells, MD, associate professor in the division of pulmonary, allergy, and critical care medicine at the University of Alabama Birmingham, said. Dr. Wells was not involved in the drug's development, but commented on the clinical trial results.
"COPD has a significant impact on both mortality and morbidity in the US, and until today, innovation in inhaled treatment modalities has been limited to combinations of existing treatment classes for over two decades," Dr. Wells added.
The therapy will be made available during the third quarter of 2024, according to the company.