Iqra Mumal, MSc,  —

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s Pulmonary Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee voted that the risk-benefit profile of GSK’s mepolizumab was not adequate to support its approval as an add-on treatment for reduction of exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are on maximum corticosteroid-based…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Pulmonx’s Zephyr Endobronchial Valve, a device designed to treat patients with severe emphysema who experience difficulty breathing. Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that results from damage to the alveoli, the small air sacs in…

A new study showed that 21% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases can be attributed to occupational exposures, particularly exposure to biological dust, pesticides, gases, and fumes. The study, “Occupational exposures and 20-year incidence of COPD: the European Community Respiratory Health Survey,” was published in the…

The U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has updated its guidelines to include endobronchial valves as an appropriate routine treatment for severe emphysema, an advanced form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This announcement comes on the heels of positive safety and effectiveness data from multiple…

A new study highlights the significant global burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, and calls for more attention in the prevention and treatment of these conditions. The study titled “Global, regional, and national deaths, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years, and years lived with disability for…

Results from Novartis’ FLASH clinical trial show that switching patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from treatment with Seretide to Ultibro Breezhaler improved lung function. Ultibro Breezhaler was also found to be well-tolerated by patients. Seretide is an inhaled corticosteroid, and its long-term use can be associated with several side…

A new study has shown that a minimally invasive procedure involving one-way valves can improve lung function in patients with severe emphysema in a multi-center clinical trial. The study titled, “A Multicenter RCT of Zephyr Endobronchial Valve Treatment in Heterogeneous Emphysema (TRANSFORM),” was published in the American Thoracic Society’s…

The risk of visits to the emergency room or hospitalization for acute exacerbations due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly decreases in obese patients after they undergo bariatric surgery, researchers found. The study, “Reduced Risk of Acute Exacerbation of COPD After Bariatric Surgery: A Self-Controlled…