COPD Healthcare Providers Information

Regional Symposiums and National Teleconference Series on the Evolving Issues in Assessment and Management of COPD

This educational series will be discussing current issues in COPD management through case presentation. The following issues will be covered:
. --- the role of steroids in COPD management
. --- therapies that effectively prevent exacerbations
. --- and the treatment of moderate disease.

After completing this program, the participant will be able to:
. --- Discuss the role of inhaled corticosteroids in the management of COPD patients
. --- Evaluate COPD assessment techniques for better patient staging and treatment
. --- Explore evolving therapies for COPD especially in light of new large clinical trials (TORCH, OPTIMA, INSPIRE, etc).
. --- Enhance patient outcomes through strategies to prevent and better manage COPD exacerbations
. --- Determine the merits of treatment for mild to moderate disease

This evidence and case-based program will be presented in two live formats: Regional Symposiums and National Teleconferences. The Regional Symposium Series will be offered in 15 major cities across the United States. It is a live, 3-hour faculty-moderated program. Breakfast will be included.

The National Teleconference Series is an abbreviated version of the Regional Symposium Series. It is a phone-based, faculty-moderated program, and will consist of a live 45-minute presentation, followed by a 15-minute question and answer period.

The program is both CME and ACPE accredited.

More information at:
http://www.somaregistration.com/copd/info.html?mptts=20080408020855

The Alpha-1 Foundation and COPD Foundation are sponsoring a workshop this week for specialists from around the world to review the state of the art in CT Scan technology and arrive at a set of recommendations for future research on COPD.

The two-day workshop beginning Thursday is formally entitled “Quantitive Chest Tomography in COPD Research” and will involve both presentations and discussions by experts attending from as far away as Japan. According to Alpha-1 Foundation Scientific Director Adam Wanner, MD, “Quantitative computed tomography has the potential to be a very important tool to study the genetics and pathogenesis of COPD, as well as the potential effect of therapeutic interventions. The central problem is, there is currently no standardized method for CT scanning in COPD.”

For More indformation:
http://www.copdfoundation.org/news/foundationnews.htm

A new study by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine shows, for the first time in humans, that ventilators combined with diaphragm disuse contributes to muscle atrophy in the diaphragm in as little as eighteen hours.

Muscle atrophy in the diaphragm is a major contributor of why patients who have undergone prolonged mechanical ventilation often have difficulty breathing after being removed from the ventilator.

Full article:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/101813.php

Cipla is set to launch the world's first triple drug combination inhaler for COPD patients in India. Cipla's brand, Triohale will have triotropium, formoterol and ciclesonide for asthma patients. The company is in the process of registering the drug for exports to semi-regulated markets. The inhaler drug would cost 40% less than the individual meds would costs.

Full article:
http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/business/cipla-to-launch-triple-drug-combo-inhaler-for-copd-patients/14/15/331153

Article includes excerpts of CNBC-TV18’s exclusive interview

Based on data from 29 placebo-controlled trials of tiotropium (Spiriva), Boehringer Ingelheim and the FDA has alerted Pulmonary Healthcare professionals and patients that ongoing safety monitoring has identified a possible increased risk of stroke in patients who take Spiriva.

These studies indicate an increased risk factor of 2 per 1000 patients over a 1 year period. (2/10ths of a percent)

The FDA report also states that it is important to interpret these preliminary results with caution. More data is expected when the results of a large, four-year randomized trial called UPLIFT (Understanding the Potential Long-Term Impacts on Function with Tiotropium) is reported. These results are expected to be released in June 2008

The FDA also recommends that patients should NOT stop taking Spiriva, but should discuss its use with their medical professionals.

The FDA Alert:
Boehringer Ingelheim and FDA notified healthcare professionals that ongoing safety monitoring has identified a possible increased risk of stroke in patients who take Spiriva. This product contains tiotropium bromide and is used to treat bronchospasm associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Boehringer Ingelheim reported to the FDA that it has conducted an analysis of the safety data from 29 placebo controlled clinical studies (“pooled analysis”). Based on data from these studies, the preliminary estimates of the risk of stroke are 8 patients per 1000 patients treated for one year with Spiriva, and 6 patients per 1000 patients treated for one year with placebo. This means that the estimated excess risk of any type of stroke due to Spiriva is 2 patients for each 1000 patients using Spiriva over a one year period.

It is important to interpret these preliminary results with caution. FDA is working with Boehringer Ingelheim to further evaluate the potential association between Spiriva and stroke. FDA has not confirmed these analyses and while pooled analyses can provide early information about potential safety issues, these analyses have inherent limitations and uncertainty that require further investigation using other data sources. Patients should not stop taking Spiriva HandiHaler before talking to their doctor, if they have questions about this new information. This early communication is in keeping with FDA’s commitment to inform the public about its ongoing safety reviews of drugs.

source:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Tiotropium
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/early_comm/tiotropium.htm

Google Inc. has unveiled a plan to help U.S. patients gain control of their medical records. They have been working with doctors' groups, pharmacies and laboratories to help them securely share sensitive health data.

The Web service will store health records on Google in password protected computers, with a medical services directory that lets users import doctors' records, drug history and test results.

Google aims to foster sharing of information between all of the medical services, but keep control in patients' hands. Examples of patient support include scheduling appointments and refilling prescriptions.

Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN2854822020080229\

The drug development firm BioMarck said Monday that it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to launch a Phase II clinical trial for its compound that targets chronic obstructive respiratory disease, or COPD.

The Phase II trial will involve some 160 COPD patients.

"BIO-11006 is being developed to treat two of the primary causes of many pulmonary diseases,” said Indu Parikh, BioMarck’s president and chief scientific officer. “We are developing a first-in-class therapeutic intended to block mucus hypersecretion and pulmonary inflammation based on the discovery of a new cellular target associated with respiratory diseases."

Full Article:
http://wrallocaltechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/biotech/story/2393511/

Abstract

Background: Computer tomography (CT) densitometry is a potential tool for detecting the progression of emphysema but the optimum methodology is uncertain. The level of inspiration affects reproducibility but the ability to adjust for this variable is facilitated by whole lung scanning methods. However, emphysema is frequently localised to sub-regions of the lung and targeted densitometric sampling may be more informative than whole lung assessment.

Methods: Emphysema progression over a 2-year interval was assessed in 71 patients (alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency with PiZ phenotype) with CT densitometry, using the 15th percentile point (Perc15) and voxel index (VI) -950 Hounsfield Units (HU) and -910 HU (VI -950 and -910) on whole lung, limited single slices, and apical, central and basal thirds. The relationship between whole lung densitometric progression (
CT) and change in CT-derived lung volume (
CTVol) was characterised, and adjustment for lung volume using statistical modelling was evaluated.

Results: CT densitometric progression was statistically significant for all methods.
CT correlated with
CTVol and linear regression indicated that nearly one half of lung density loss was secondary to apparent hyperinflation. The most accurate measure was obtained using a random coefficient model to adjust for lung volume and the greatest progression was detected by targeted sampling of the middle third of the lung.

Conclusion: Progressive hyperinflation may contribute significantly to loss of lung density, but volume effects and absolute tissue loss can be identified by statistical modelling. Targeted sampling of the middle lung region using Perc15 appears to be the most robust measure of emphysema progression.

Source: http://respiratory-research.com/content/pdf/1465-9921-9-21.pdf

Kamada (TASE:KMDA), a biopharmaceutical company which develops, manufactures and markets specialty life-saving therapeutics, announces that the company will soon start phase II clinical trials with the inhaled version of its Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) product to treat Bronchiectasis, a lung disease that results in the distortion of one or more of the conducting bronchi or airways, most often secondary to an infectious process. The study will be conducted using an eFlow® Electronic Nebulizer (PARI Pharma GmbH) optimized for delivery of Kamada's AAT product.

Full Article:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/97078.php