Vilanterol trifenatate for the treatment of COPD

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Currently the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has limited effectiveness and there is a need to develop new drugs. International guidelines recommend the use of long-acting bronchodilators (β2 agonists and anti-cholinergics/muscarinics), inhaled steroids and associations between these drugs in the maintenance treatment of moderate-to-severe COPD.

Area covered: Vilanterol trifenate is a new once-daily highly selective β2-agonist available in USA and Europe in association with umeclidinium bromide (a long-acting anti-muscarnic agent) and fluticasone furoate (an inhaled corticosteroid) for the once-daily maintenance treatment of COPD. Vilanterol combined in fixed-dose treatments has been tested in numerous clinical trials involving thousands of patients.

Expert commentary: These new once-daily formulations have the potential to improve compliance to long-term inhaled therapy. This paper will review the clinical and experimental data regarding vilanterol use in the regular treatment of COPD as well as provide a critical discussion of possible future treatment settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Vilanterol trifenate
• umeclidinium bromide
• fluticasone furoate
• LABA
• LAMA
• COPD treatment

Declaration of interests

M Malerba has received sponsorship and educational grants from various pharmaceutical companies including Chiesi, Menarini, Mundipharma and Pfizer. JB Morjaria has received fees and sponsorship to attend or speak at the ERS, ATS and BTS conferences, for educational grants, and for being on the advisory boards of various pharmaceutical companies including Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Chiesi, MSD, Pfizer, Almirall, Teva, Napp and Astra Zeneca. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.