The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7253 p820
14 June 2003

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Phosphodiesterase inhibitor improves asthma symptoms

Roflumilast, a novel phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, is as efficacious as inhaled beclometasone dipropionate in treating asthma, according to data presented at the American Thoracic Society conference.

Its mechanism of action involves targeting inflammatory processes. Oral administration of 500mg roflumilast once daily was compared with twice daily administration of 200mg inhaled beclometasone over 12 weeks in a double-blind, double-dummy, randomised trial (n=421).

Significant increases in morning and evening peak expiratory flow (P=0.0001) were seen with roflumilast and the improvements were comparable with those seen with beclomethasone: 22L/min (SD±4.3) and 27L/min (SD±4.0) for morning PEF, respectively. The most frequent side effects were headache (3 per cent), diarrhoea (1 per cent ) and nausea (1 per cent).

Roflumilast will be jointly developed in Europe by Altana Pharma and Pfizer.

The Journal attended the American Thoracic Society annual conference, held in Seattle, Washington last month, as a guest of GlaxoSmithKline