Study shows Fostair has comparable efficacy to Seretide in asthma patients

A study has shown that asthma patients may be switched from Seretide (fluticasone propionate-salmeterol [FP-SAL]) to Fostair (extra-fine beclomethasone-formoterol [efBDP-FOR]) at an equivalent or lower inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dosage with no reduction in clinical effectiveness but a significant reduction in cost to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).

Results from the REACH study, published in the Primary Care Respiratory Journal,investigated the clinical and cost effectiveness of switching typical asthma patients from London pharma major’s GlaxoSmithKline’s (LSE: GSK) Seretide to  Fostair, made by privately-held Italian drugmaker Chiesi Farmaceutici. Results show that Fostair was non-inferior to Seretide and switching to Fostair resulted in significantly better odds of achieving overall asthma control and lower daily short-acting beta-2-agonist usage at a lower daily ICS dosage. It also reduced mean asthma-related health care costs by £93.63/patient/year ($154).

Fostair was launched in the UK by Chiesi in 2008, as a cheaper version of both Seretide and AstraZeneca’s Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol; The Pharma Letter January 28, 2008).