FDA expands approval of Boehringer's asthma treatment to include children

Children with asthma in the USA aged six years and above can receive the Boehringer Ingelheim treatment Spiriva (tiotropium) Respimat, as opposed to those aged at least 12 years as was previously the case.

The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded the indication for this long-term, once-daily maintenance treatment of people with asthma aged six years and older who continue to experience symptoms despite their other maintenance therapy – usually either inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) alone, or a combination of inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting beta agonists (ICS/LABA).

This expanded approval follows the comprehensive Spiriva Respimat pediatric clinical trial program, involving 905 children aged from six to 11 years, conducted by Boehringer Ingelheim.