Three-in-one inhaler therapy can improve lung function and reduce asthma attacks

Patients with severe asthma which is not controlled with standard treatment – leaving them at risk of severe asthma attacks – could benefit from using a single inhaler combining three, instead of two therapies, according to some randomised controlled trials with over 2,500 patients across 17 countries, published in The Lancet.

 Using multiple inhalers leaves patients trying to prevent symptoms using devices of different design, with different instructions, and with different dosing regimens. This can reduce patients' ability to use them regularly as prescribed, so a single inhaler that combines therapies could help ensure effective treatment delivery and improve treatment adherence.

 "Since the preventive treatment we trialled delivers three drugs via one inhaler, and given the reduction we saw in the annual rate of severe asthma attacks, we expect it will provide an attractive option helping to fulfill an unmet need for both individuals and health systems," says co-author Sandrine Corre from Chiesi Farmaceutici in Italy.