Sepracor's Xopenex data show improved lung function

By Jennifer Chiou

New York, Nov. 3 - Sepracor Inc. announced its trial for its short-acting bronchodilator, Xopenex brand levalbuterol HCl Inhalation Solution racemic albuterol, resulted in improved lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The company said it presented results of the 209-patient, double-blind, placebo-controlled study at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians in Montreal.

In the study, Sepracor said patients displayed significant improvement for all active treatment groups versus the placebo in the area under the forced expiratory volume in one second over time curve, a measure of both the degree and duration of change in lung function.

"An interesting takeaway from this study is the observation that patients who used racemic albuterol had a significantly higher dropout rate from COPD exacerbations compared to patients who used placebo," said James F. Donohue, the study's lead author, in a news release.

COPD, which is characterized by airflow obstruction, is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Lung Association.

Sepracor markets Xopenex Inhalation Solution for use with a nebulizer - a machine that converts liquid medication into a fine mist - through its primary care and hospital sales force. The FDA approved the new drug application on March 11.

Based in Marlborough, Mass., Sepracor is a research-based pharmaceutical company with a focus on respiratory and central nervous system disorders.

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