In an effort to address patients with small airway respiratory diseases, drugmaker Cipla has rolled out its extra-fine particle beclomethasone-formoterol combination hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) inhaler for adults, touted to be the first of its kind in the country.

This is not an innovation in isolation, said Cipla’s India business head Nikhil Chopra, referring to other novel respiratory products from the company including its breath-actuated inhaler with dose counter called Synchrobreathe. The latest two-in-one inhaler Niveoli is a product of about three years of research, and addresses an unmet need associated with obstructive airway diseases (OAD) such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), Chopra told BusinessLine .

Role in asthma, COPD

Small airway diseases are known to have a significant role in asthma and COPD, he said, and often such patients were seen to not get the desired relief from their existing medication. The new inhaler is priced at ₹595 for 120 doses, working out to about a month’s supply for a person with mild or moderate asthma, doctors familiar with the product said.

Sujeet Rajan, a consultant respiratory physician with Bombay Hospital, observed that CT scans were revealing more people with small airway diseases. And this accounted for why some patients were not responding as desired to their earlier medication, he said, adding that the extra fine-particle inhaler would bring much relief such patients.

In fact, even regular patients with mild or moderate asthma were seen to be open to this inhaler that used half the dose of steroid (beclomethasone), he said. The next step should be to have a similar product with greater strength so it can be used in severe cases, he suggested.

Chopra said that there were about 93 million people with asthma and COPD and only half that number is diagnosed. Making matters worse, only 15 per cent adhered to their treatment regimen, he said.

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