Treatment with Novartis’ Ultibro Breezhaler improves cardiac function in COPD patients with lung hyperinflation

CLAIM is the first study to investigate the effect of dual bronchodilation on cardiac function

Novartis announced the publication of the CLAIM study in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, which demonstrated that treatment once-daily Ultibro Breezhaler (indacaterol/glycopyrronium 110/50 mcg) significantly improved lung and cardiac function, when compared to placebo, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with lung hyperinflation1.

Many people living with COPD are at increased risk of death and disability due to comorbid cardiovascular disease. Lung hyperinflation is common in people with COPD, and has been linked to impaired cardiac function and a worsening of COPD symptoms, especially breathlessness4-6. CLAIM is the first study to investigate the effects of dual bronchodilation on cardiac function and lung hyperinflation1.

The CLAIM study met its primary endpoint demonstrating that treatment with Ultibro Breezhaler led to decreased lung hyperinflation and improvements in cardiac function after 14 days of treatment. This translated into clinically relevant patient benefits of improved health status and breathlessness (dyspnea), studied as exploratory endpoints1.

“Lung hyperinflation is often associated with impaired cardiac function in patients with COPD,” said Shreeram Aradhye, Chief Medical Officer and Global Head of Medical Affairs, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. “The publication of the CLAIM study is important for any COPD patient with signs of lung hyperinflation. For the first time, we demonstrated that treatment with Ultibro Breezhaler can reduce lung hyperinflation and improve cardiac function, breathlessness and health status.”

In the CLAIM study Ultibro Breezhaler was well tolerated and its safety profile was comparable with placebo.