Chiesi Group Launch New Product Into UK £80 Million Asthma Market
Chiesi Group announces the UK launch of Clenil® Modulite® (beclometasone dipropionate [BDP]), a new CFC-free metered-dose inhaler (MDI) by their UK affiliate Trinity-Chiesi Pharmaceuticals. There are several CFC-free reliever inhalers currently available in the UK but Clenil® Modulite® is only the second CFC-free preventer (BDP) inhaler in this market.
(PRWEB) July 26, 2006
Chiesi Group announces the UK launch of Clenil® Modulite® (beclometasone dipropionate [BDP]), a new CFC-free metered-dose inhaler (MDI) by their UK affiliate Trinity-Chiesi Pharmaceuticals. There are several CFC-free reliever inhalers currently available in the UK but Clenil® Modulite® is only the second CFC-free preventer (BDP) inhaler in this market.
The Montreal Protocol1, and the UK Transition Strategy2, provides a commitment to remove CFC-containing products from the market once two alternative products containing beclometasone and at least one CFC-free MDI product for each of budesonide and fluticasone are available in an adequate range of doses. If the Department of Health, DEFRA and/or other interested bodies, deem Clenil® Modulite® to be the ‘trigger’ to withdraw all CFC-containing BDP inhalers, and the current Transition Strategy is invoked, it is anticipated that healthcare professionals will have a 6-month window to manage the transition of all BDP patients to CFC-free BDP.
In England, more than 7 million prescriptions are issued for CFC-containing BDP products every year.3 Importantly, Clenil® Modulite® will be the only CFC-free preventer inhaler that has dose-for-dose equivalence to current CFC-containing preventer inhalers. This will aid a seamless transition as the patient’s prescription dose will not need to be changed.
Years after manufacturers of aerosol cans moved away from CFC propellants in a bid to halt the depletion of the ozone layer, pharmaceutical companies have been undertaking research to find alternative propellants to enable them to remove CFCs from inhalers.
Extensive research by Trinity-Chiesi Pharmaceuticals lead to the development of the Modulite® proprietary technology which enabled the production of a formulation that uses HFA-134a (hydrofluoroalkane) as a propellant instead of CFC.
Aside from this UK launch, the Modulite® technology is already commercially available with beclometasone dipropionate in France, Italy and Germany, with budesonide in Germany, and formoterol in the UK, Germany and Italy.
Trinity-Chiesi Pharmaceuticals has particular expertise in patient-focused, innovative, respiratory medicines as evidenced in the development and launch of modified-release asthma drugs including Clenil® Modulite®, Atimos® Modulite® and Pulvinal®
Mr Tom Delahoyde, Managing Director, Trinity-Chiesi Pharmaceuticals commented. “The issue of CFC-free is an important one and our unstinting focus on developing innovative patient-focused respiratory medicines is good for our company, asthma patients and, of course, the environment”.
References
1. Ozone Secretariat. United Nations Environment Programme. Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. 1987. Available at: http://hq. unep. org/ozone/Montreal-Protocol/Montreal-Protocol2000.shtml#_Toc483027784 (http://hq. unep. org/ozone/Montreal-Protocol/Montreal-Protocol2000.shtml#_Toc483027784) (date accessed: 5 April 2006).
2. Department of Health. UK Transition Strategy for CFC-based MDIs. London: Department of Health, 1999.
3. NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre. Prescription Costs Analysis: England 2005. Leeds: NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre, Health Care Statistics. Available at: http://www. ic. nhs. uk/pubs/prescostanalysis2005 (http://www. ic. nhs. uk/pubs/prescostanalysis2005) (date accessed: 11 July 2006).
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