AstraZeneca’s Bevespi Aerosphere approved in Japan for COPD patients

AstraZeneca’s Bevespi Aerosphere has been approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, becoming the first approved fixed-dose, long-acting dual bronchodilator in a pressurised metered-dose inhaler device in Japan.

AstraZeneca on Wednesday said that this is the first approval by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for a maintenance fixed-dose, long-acting dual bronchodilator in a pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI), which uses the innovative Aerosphere delivery technology.

The approval was based on positive results from the Phase III PINNACLE 4 trial, which demonstrated the efficacy and safety of Bevespi Aerosphere in 1,756 patients with moderate to very severe COPD across Asia, Europe and the US, as well as the broader PINNACLE clinical programme involving more than 5,000 patients, AstraZeneca noted in the announcement.

Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: “As the first medicine in its class to be approved in a pressurised metered-dose inhaler in Japan, Bevespi Aerosphere offers an important new treatment option and choice of inhaler device for patients with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

Bevespi Aerosphere is already approved in the US, EU, Canada, Australia and other countries as a dual bronchodilator for the maintenance treatment of moderate to very severe COPD, the company’s statement reads.