title: Fluticasone furoate/vilanterol combination for the treatment of COPD and asthma.
abstract: The critical role of the combination therapy of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a long-acting β-adrenoceptor agonist (LABA) in the treatment of patients suffering from asthma and also severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with frequent exacerbations explains why there is a strong interest within the pharmaceutical industry in developing a once-daily ICS/LABA fixed-dose combination (FDC), in an attempt to simplify the treatment and, consequently, increase adherence to the prescribed therapy, and also to overcome the loss of patent protection. GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance have developed an inhaled FDC of the ICS fluticasone furoate (FF) and the LABA vilanterol (VI) as a once-daily treatment for asthma and COPD. FF/VI, by simplifying the dosing schedule, allows, for the first time, a shift from twice-daily to once-daily treatment, with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile that is consistent with the ICS/LABA class. The decision to prescribe FF/VI rather than another ICS/LABA FDC is likely to be based on the patient's preference for the inhaler device, their ability to use the device correctly and the convenience of once-daily dosing frequency as well as comparative costs with other combination products. However, further studies are required to specifically assess these possibilities.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine, Chair of Respiratory Medicine, and University Hospital Tor Vergata, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rogliani
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, Department of Experimental Medicine, Unit of Pharmacology, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Matera
authors.affiliation: University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Systems Medicine, Chair of Respiratory Medicine; Department of Systems Medicine, Respiratory Pharmacology Research Unit, and Division of Respiratory Medicine, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cazzola
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002722:Chlorobenzenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D002722:Chlorobenzenes; C550468:vilanterol; C523187:fluticasone furoate
keywords: Asthma; COPD; Fluticasone furoate; ICS/LABA combination; Vilanterol