Corporate Magazine 2012 - Boehringer Ingelheim

ASTHMAAsthma is a chronic disease characterised byairway inflammation and bronchoconstriction.Symptoms include recurring periods of coughing,chest tightness, shortness of breath andwheezing.The air passages becomeinflamed, mucus-filledand narrowed, making itdifficult to breathe.As many as 300 million people worldwide haveasthma. Epidemiological data have shown thatmany adults with asthma remain symptomatic,despite current treatment options and haveasthma exacerbations (attacks).normal openairwaysinflamed airwaysduring an asthmaattackmucusMOVING RESPIRATORY FORWARDnarrow airwaysbecause ofinflammatoryairway swellingBoehringer Ingelheim has a long history and a leadership position inthe field of respiratory diseases and has an ongoing commitment tohelp patients suffering from respiratory diseases with the developmentof new medications.PHASE III TRIAL PROGRAMMEThe phase III trial programme inrespiratory includes: tiotropium inasthma, tiotropium + olodaterolfixed-dose combination in COPDand nintendanib in idiopathicpulmonary fibrosis.Tiotropium in asthmaA significant proportion of asthmapatients remain symptomatic, despitecurrent treatment options, and mayhave asthma exacerbations. Tiotropiumis a long-acting anticholinergicbronchodilator, which helps to keepthe airways open.Data from the PrimoTinA-Asthmaphase III studies presented in 2012show that tiotropium delivered via therespimat® Soft Mist Inhaler (SMI)device increases the time to first severeasthma exacerbations in patients whoremain symptomatic despite treatmentwith at least inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting beta agonists (ICS/LABA).Tiotropium also significantly improvedlung function in symptomatic asthmapatients on ICS/LABA.The PrimoTinA-Asthma studies arepart of our comprehensive ongoingphase III trial programme namedUniTinA-Asthma, which wasdesigned to establish the efficacyand safety of tiotropium respimat®in patients with symptomatic asthma.UniTinA-Asthma includes a numberof clinical studies in adults, adolescentsand children with symptomatic asthmaacross the spectrum of asthma severity.These studies involve over 4,000 patientsin more than 150 sites worldwide.58 Boehringer Ingelheim annual report 2012