Vectura inhaler collaboration with Novartis improves treatment persistence

Novartis has published data about a respiratory drug combination delivered using an inhaler designed in collaboration with Vectura that shows patients are twice as likely to persist with treatment over 12 months than with a popular product already on the market.

Patients using Novartis' subsidiary Sandoz's innovative AirFluSal Forspiro respiratory inhaler, which offers the combination of long-acting inhaled beta-agonist salmeterol and inhaled corticosteroid fluticasone propionate in an innovative new device, showed a persistence rate of 22.9%.

This compared to 10.5% for those using the reference product device, GlaxoSmithKline's Seretide Diskus.

FTSE 250-listed Vectura designed the inhaler with multiple feedback mechanisms such as visual control features, which help reassure the patient about dosing and a simple lever arm to load the dose.

"This announcement is further validation of our expertise in the development of inhaled respiratory products," said Vectura CEO James Ward-Lilley.

"In order to improve patient experience with inhalation devices, Sandoz and Vectura collaborated closely with patients during the development process."