A post-hoc analysis of a long-term safety study of the effectiveness of Marlborough-based Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s Brovana found the drug to be effective in reducing hospitalization in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The study, carried out on patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, took place over the course of a year and evaluated patients on Brovana versus a placebo. Brovana is a nebulized long-acting beta2 agonist administered twice daily that treats bronchoconstriction in people with COPD, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Â
Post hoc analyses found patients who received Brovana exhibited lower hospitalization rates related to COPD exacerbation than patients who took the placebo.
Patients who took Brovana also reported a reduction in hospitalization risk, with those results especially pronounced among patients achieving a minimum of a four point improvement on an index that quantifies health-related health status in patients with chronic airflow limitations. The index, called the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, has a proven correlation with measures of symptom level, disease activity and disability.
