Skip to main content

FDA Approves Breo Ellipta for Asthma

FDA Approves Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol) for Asthma

London, UK, and South San Francisco, CA, USA, 30 April 2015 – GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE: GSK) and Theravance, Inc. (NASDAQ: THRX) today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol [FF/VI]) for the once-daily treatment of asthma in patients aged 18 years and older. Breo Ellipta is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm.

Breo is a fixed-dose combination of the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) fluticasone furoate (FF) and the long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) vilanterol (VI). Two strengths, 100/25mcg and 200/25mcg, have been approved in the US for use in asthma, administered once-daily using the Ellipta dry powder inhaler.

Darrell Baker, SVP & Head, GSK Global Respiratory Franchise, said: “Asthma is a variable condition and guidelines recommend a stepwise approach to treatment with the aim of achieving asthma control. Breo Ellipta is our second asthma treatment to be approved in the US in the past year, and now provides physicians with a range of treatment options delivered via the Ellipta inhaler to meet the needs of appropriate adult patients with differing asthma severities.”

Michael W. Aguiar, President and Chief Executive Officer of Theravance, Inc., said: "We believe the approval of Breo Ellipta as a once-daily ICS/LABA treatment for adults with asthma is a significant catalyst for Theravance, as asthma affects nearly 19 million adults in the US. We are pleased by today’s approval of Breo Ellipta and look forward to making this important medicine available to the appropriate adult patients among those living with the disease.”

The FDA issued a complete response letter related to the proposed use of Breo Ellipta in patients aged 12-17 stating that the data submitted do not show adequate risk-benefit to support the approval in these patients. The FDA stated that additional data would be required to further demonstrate the safety and efficacy in this population.

The efficacy and safety of Breo Ellipta was studied in a clinical trial programme involving over 12,000 subjects in 23 studies of patients aged 12 and over.

Following submission of a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) to the FDA, Breo Ellipta has been approved for the once-daily treatment of asthma in patients aged 18 years and older. LABA, such as vilanterol, one of the active ingredients in Breo Ellipta, increase the risk of asthma-related death. Available data from controlled clinical trials suggest that LABA increase the risk of asthma-related hospitalisation in paediatric and adolescent patients. Therefore, when treating patients with asthma, physicians should only prescribe Breo Ellipta for patients not adequately controlled on a long-term asthma control medication, such as an inhaled corticosteroid, or whose disease severity clearly warrants initiation of treatment with both an inhaled corticosteroid and a LABA. Once asthma control is achieved and maintained, assess the patient at regular intervals and step down therapy (e.g., discontinue Breo Ellipta) if possible without loss of asthma control and maintain the patient on a long-term asthma control medication, such as an inhaled corticosteroid. Do not use Breo Ellipta for patients whose asthma is adequately controlled on low- or medium-dose inhaled corticosteroids.

Breo Ellipta is NOT indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm.

About asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways.1 Approximately 19 million adults in the US currently have asthma.2 Despite medical advances, more than half of patients continue to experience poor control and significant symptoms.3

The causes of asthma are not completely understood but are likely to involve an interaction between a person’s genetic make-up and the environment. Key environmental risk factors for the development of asthma are allergens, respiratory infections and airway irritants. For more information please see GSK’s infographic about adult asthma.

About Breo Ellipta

Breo Ellipta (FF/VI 100/25 mcg) was licensed by the US FDA in May 2013 as a prescription medication for the long-term, once-daily, maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction and for reducing exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. An sNDA for Breo Ellipta in asthma was submitted to the FDA in June 2014 and in April 2015 it was approved for the once-daily treatment of asthma in patients aged 18 years and older. Breo Ellipta is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm.

GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com.

Theravance, Inc. – is focused on maximizing the potential value of the respiratory assets partnered with Glaxo Group Limited (GSK), including RELVAR®/BREO® ELLIPTA® and ANORO® ELLIPTA®, with the intention of providing capital returns to stockholders. Under the Long-Acting Beta2 Agonist (LABA) Collaboration Agreement with GSK, Theravance is eligible to receive the associated royalty revenues from RELVAR®/BREO® ELLIPTA® (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol, "FF/VI"), ANORO® ELLIPTA® (umeclidinium bromide/vilanterol, "UMEC/VI") and if approved and commercialized, VI monotherapy. Theravance is also entitled to a 15% economic interest in any future payments made by GSK under agreements entered into prior to the spin-off of Theravance Biopharma, and since assigned to Theravance Respiratory Company, LLC, relating to the combination of UMEC/VI/FF and the Bifunctional Muscarinic Antagonist-Beta2 Agonist (MABA) program, as monotherapy and in combination with other therapeutically active components, such as an inhaled corticosteroid, and any other product or combination of products that may be discovered and developed in the future under these agreements with GSK (other than RELVAR®/BREO® ELLIPTA®, ANORO® ELLIPTA® and VI monotherapy). For more information, please visit Theravance's web site at www.thrxinc.com.

ANORO®, RELVAR®, BREO® and ELLIPTA® are trade marks of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D 'Risk factors' in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2014.

Theravance forward-looking statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking" statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, statements relating to goals, plans, objectives and future events. Theravance intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Examples of such statements include statements relating to: the commercialization of BREO ELLIPTA in the US, the strategies, plans and objectives of the company, the timing, manner and amount of anticipated potential capital returns to stockholders (including without limitation, expectations of future cash dividends or future share repurchases), the status and timing of clinical studies, data analysis and communication of results, the potential benefits and mechanisms of action of product candidates, expectations for product candidates through development and commercialization, the timing of seeking regulatory approval of product candidates, and projections of revenue, expenses and other financial items. These statements are based on the current estimates and assumptions of the management of Theravance as of the date of this press release and are subject to risks, uncertainties, changes in circumstances, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results of Theravance to be materially different from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include, among others, risks related to: the disruption of operations during the transition period following the spin-off, including the diversion of managements' and employees' attention, disruption of relationships with collaborators and increased employee turnover, lower than expected future royalty revenue from respiratory products partnered with GSK, delays or difficulties in commencing or completing clinical studies, the potential that results from clinical or non-clinical studies indicate product candidates are unsafe or ineffective, dependence on third parties to conduct its clinical studies, delays or failure to achieve and maintain regulatory approvals for product candidates, and risks of collaborating with third parties to discover, develop and commercialize products. Other risks affecting Theravance are described under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained in Theravance's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 27, 2015. In addition to the risks described above and in Theravance's other filings with the SEC, other unknown or unpredictable factors also could affect Theravance's results. No forward-looking statements can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from such statements. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Theravance assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements on account of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

References:

  1. Global Initiative for Asthma. Pocket Guide for Asthma Management and Prevention. Updated 2015.
  2. Blackwell et al. NHIS, 2012. Vital Health Stat 2014;10(260):19.
  3. Demoly et al. Eur Respir Rev. 2012 Mar 1;21(123):66-74. doi: 10.1183/09059180.00008111

Source: GlaxoSmithKline plc

Related articles

Breo Ellipta (fluticasone and vilanterol) FDA Approval History

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.