AstraZeneca launches asthma inhaler in India

Tuesday, 18 November 2003, 20:30 IST   |    1 Comments
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BANGALORE: British pharma major AstraZeneca on Monday launched its Symbicort Turbuhaler, described as the world's first dry powder inhaler for asthma patients. To be marketed through it's Indian subsidiary, AstraZeneca India Ltd, the product offers doctors and patients the flexibility to adjust dosages without adding or switching inhalers, the company said. "Turbuhaler's effectiveness has been demonstrated in clinical trials conducted by our global R&D centre in Sweden for over 12 billion days in clinical practice," said AstraZeneca India managing director Lars Walan at a press conference. Asthma is a variable disease with fluctuating symptoms and patients have to respond accordingly. Turbuhaler enables them to control and adjust doses upward or downward, something other therapies do not provide in a single inhaler, company claimed in a statement. "Turbuhaler contains two key components for treating inflammation of airways and to relieve the airway tightness in the lungs," Walan stated. "Turbuhaler enables asthma patients to manage their disease and stay in control. Studies have shown that treatment with Turbuhaler improves lung function, resulting in about 40 percent reduction in the risk of having an asthma attack compared to a salmeterol fluticasone combination," Walan asserted. The product is being shipped from Sweden for marketing in India through AstraZeneca's countrywide distribution network. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 20 million Indians - one-fifth of the world's 100 million patients - suffer from asthma. Chain-smokers are particularly prone.
Source: IANS
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