The inhalation spray Striverdi Respimat (olodaterol), developed by Boehringer Ingelheim, is now available in U.S. pharmacies. The 5 mcg spray is a long-term, once-daily maintenance bronchodilator therapy for airflow obstruction caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which may include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The treatment needs a medical prescription and is not indicated for asthma or acute COPD.

Striverdi Respimat uses an inhaler, also developed by the company, to actively deliver a pre-measured amount of the drug, in order to ease patients’ need to inhale, as well as not having to depend on the breath capacity of the airways. In addition to being available in pharmacies across the country, Boehringer Ingelheim is providing a savings card, which is meant to make the spray available to more patients at no costs for a limited period of time, depending on the patients’ insurance, which can be found on the company’s website and activated at the pharmacy.

“For over a half century, Boehringer Ingelheim has been a leader in discovering and developing new therapies for respiratory diseases. We’re proud to build upon our respiratory heritage by bringing Striverdi Respimat to market as a new COPD maintenance treatment option,” said the senior vice president of marketing at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Kathleen Dowd. “Approximately 15 million Americans have been told by a healthcare provider that they have COPD, and we believe Striverdi Respimat will be a welcome option for providers and patients alike.”

The Striverdi Respimat Inhalation Spray had been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last July, based on the results of eight phase III clinical trials conducted by the pharmaceutical, which enrolled 4,450 COPD patients. Patients used the spray during the trials and continued with their prescribed care, including long- and short-acting anticholinergics, short-acting beta agonists, inhaled corticosteroids and xanthines, with exception of LABAs.

The company has also developed another product also dedicated for the treatment of COPD, the nasal spray tiotopium bromide, which has already been submitted to approval by the FDA and recommended by the Food and Drug Administration Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee (FDA PADAC). The recommendation is a result of the data from the clinical trials conducted that revealed the nasal spray efficacy in improving COPD patient survival and lung function in conjunction with beta agonists.