Boehringer公司研制环保COPD治疗药物

一种治疗慢性阻塞性肺病的新版支气管扩张剂，设计使用非氯氟烃推进剂类的氢氟酸做为推进剂，这是对《蒙特利尔方案》的响应，该方案是保护臭氧层的全球性协议。

新版本叫做Atrovent HFA(异丙托溴铵氢氟酸)，设计用来替代支气管痉挛（包括慢性支气管炎和肺气肿）维持治疗的Atrovent CFC吸入气雾剂。新版是由Boehringer Ingelheim公司研制开发。一项为期12周双盲、安慰剂对照、活动控制临床试验已经确立，是为了比较Atrovent HFA与Atrovent CFC的安全性与有效性。两种产品都很安全有效，没有统计学的显著差异。

有异丙托溴铵过敏史的患者禁忌使用Atrovent HFA，当需要紧急治疗的时候可以做为急性支气管痉挛的初始治疗。Atrovent HFA已经获得了美国食品药品管理局的许可。

Boehringer Ingelheim制药公司临床与科学事务部治疗主任Steven Kersten医生说：“这个许可与我们公司的承诺保持了一致，即研究与开发CFC为基础的吸入剂的替代产品。”
 
Environmentally Safe COPD Drug
 
A new version of a bronchodilator for treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is formulated with a non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellant called hydrofluoroalkane (HFA), in response to the Montreal Protocol, a global agreement to protect the ozone layer.

This new version, called Atrovent HFA (ipratropium bromide HFA), is designed to replace Atrovent CFC inhalation aerosol for maintenance treatment of bronchospasm, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The new version was developed by Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany; www.boehringer-ingelheim.com). A 12-week, double-blind, placebo, and active-controlled trial has established the comparable safety and efficacy of Atrovent HFA to Atrovent CFC. Both products were shown to be safe and effective with no statistically significant differences between them.

Atrovent HFA is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to ipratropium bromide and for the initial treatment of acute episodes of bronchospasm where rapid response is required. Atrovent HFA has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“This approval is in keeping with our commitment to the research and development of replacements to our CFC-based inhalers,” commented Steven Kersten, M.D., therapeutic director in clinical and scientific affairs for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals.