Novartis lung drug not inferior to GSK's Seretide, study shows
(Removes paragraph on QVA149, which refers to Ultibro Breezhaler not Onbrez Breezhaler)
ZURICH, April 25 (Reuters) - Patients taking Novartis (Xetra: NOT.DE - news) ' inhaled medicine Onbrez Breezhaler for chronic lung disease had benefits similar to those taking GlaxoSmithKline (Other OTC: GLAXF - news) 's Seretide, the Swiss drugmaker said on Friday, citing a late stage study.
The Phase IV study in patients with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) found Novartis' once-daily drug showed similar benefits in reducing shortness of breath as GSK's Seretide, which must be taken twice daily.
Around 210 million people worldwide suffer from COPD, a disease that causes breathing trouble and chronic coughing, and is sometimes fatal. (Reporting by Caroline Copley; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Jane Baird)