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Umeclidinium/Vilanterol: A Review of Its Use as Maintenance Therapy in Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

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Abstract

Umeclidinium/vilanterol (Anoro® Ellipta™; Laventair™) is an inhaled fixed-dose combination of a long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonist and a long-acting β2-adrenoceptor agonist. It is available in several countries, including Japan, the USA, Canada and those of the EU, where it is indicated for oral inhalation in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Umeclidinium/vilanterol is administered once daily using the Ellipta™ multi-dose dry powder inhaler, which is regarded as easy to use. Umeclidinium/vilanterol (62.5/25 µg once daily, equivalent to a delivered dose of 55/22 µg once daily) was effective and well tolerated in adult patients with COPD participating in large, multicentre trials of up to 24 weeks’ duration. Umeclidinium/vilanterol improved pulmonary function to a significantly greater extent than placebo and each of the individual components. Moreover, umeclidinium/vilanterol was significantly more effective than once-daily tiotropium bromide monotherapy and a twice-daily fixed combination of salmeterol/fluticasone propionate at improving pulmonary function. Umeclidinium/vilanterol also had beneficial effects on dyspnoea, use of rescue medication, exacerbations, health-related quality of life and, in one study, exercise endurance. Umeclidinium/vilanterol is generally well tolerated in patients with COPD, with the most common adverse events in clinical trials being headache and nasopharyngitis. Umeclidinium/vilanterol was not associated with a clinically relevant increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events in patients with COPD, when data from several clinical trials were pooled. Thus, inhaled umeclidinium/vilanterol extends the treatment options currently available for the maintenance treatment of adults with COPD and has the convenience of once-daily administration.

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Disclosure

The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding. During the peer review process, the manufacturer of the agent under review was offered an opportunity to comment on this article. Changes resulting from comments received were made by the authors on the basis of scientific and editorial merit. Hannah Blair and Emma Deeks are salaried employees of Adis/Springer.

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    Hannah A. Blair & Emma D. Deeks

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  1. Hannah A. Blair
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Correspondence to Hannah A. Blair.

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The manuscript was reviewed by: J. F. Donohue, Internal Medicine Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; A. F. Gelb, Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA and Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Lakewood, CA, USA; E. M. Kerwin, Clinical Research Institute of Southern Oregon, Medford, OR, USA.

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Blair, H.A., Deeks, E.D. Umeclidinium/Vilanterol: A Review of Its Use as Maintenance Therapy in Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Drugs 75, 61–74 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-014-0326-1

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