Skip to main content

Brovana

Generic name: arformoterol tartrate
Treatment for: COPD

Sepracor Announces Submission of Arformoterol NDA to FDA for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., December 13, 2005 - Sepracor Inc. (Nasdaq: SEPR) today announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for arformoterol tartrate inhalation solution, a long-acting beta-agonist formulation for long-term maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Arformoterol, a single isomer of formoterol, is the first long-acting bronchodilator to be developed in an inhalation solution for use with a nebulizer, which is a machine that converts liquid medication into a fine mist that is inhaled through a mask; other long-acting bronchodilators currently available are formulated in dry-powder inhalers or metered-dose inhalers.

Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, the FDA has 60 days after submission to review an NDA in order to determine if the application may be filed. The filing of an application means that the FDA has made a threshold determination that the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review.

Sepracor completed more than 100 preclinical and 16 clinical studies of arformoterol involving more than 2,000 patients. Among the clinical studies conducted were two 12-week pivotal studies, each with more than 700 patients, as well as a large-scale, 12-month safety study. In Phase III studies, patients treated with arformoterol demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in FEV(1), which is a test of lung function, versus those patients administered placebo.

"If approved, arformoterol inhalation solution may provide a meaningful medical benefit as it is the first long-acting bronchodilator to be developed in an inhalation solution that can be used in a nebulizer," said Mark H.N. Corrigan, M.D., Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Sepracor. "Many patients who are affected by COPD, which encompasses chronic bronchitis and emphysema, may prefer the inhalation solution delivery method since it can be easier to administer than other drug delivery systems."

"A significant number of patients with COPD already use nebulizers for their respiratory medications," said William J. O'Shea, President and Chief Operating Officer at Sepracor. "Many of these patients prefer nebulization over MDI therapy and may find arformoterol tartrate inhalation solution to be a useful complement to their current treatment regimen."

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., and in 2003, an estimated 11 million adults in the U.S. had COPD. Approximately 24 million adults have evidence of impaired lung function, which may indicate that COPD is under-diagnosed, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). COPD is a slowly progressive disease of the airways that is characterized by a gradual loss of lung function. According to the NHLBI, COPD includes chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive bronchitis and emphysema, or combinations of these conditions. Bronchodilator medications are useful in improving airflow, symptoms, and reducing the occurrence and/or severity of exacerbations in patients affected by COPD.

Source: Sepracor Inc.

Posted: December 2005

Related articles

Brovana (arformoterol tartrate) 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.