AstraZeneca receives EU approval for asthma product

Symbicort is licensed for use in adults who need an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a long acting bronchodilator (LABA) combination treatment. This new treatment approach enables patients to take control of their asthma and use just one inhaler for both maintenance and relief of asthma symptoms.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways characterized by reversible airway obstruction With Symbicort, patients take a maintenance dose to keep control of their asthma and if further symptoms occur, can take additional inhalations 'as needed', to provide symptom relief.

Symbicort has been studied in a wide clinical trial program. These studies consistently show that Symbicort, irrespective of asthma severity, reduces the risk of patients developing potentially life-threatening asthma attacks significantly better than ICS alone or an ICS/LABA combination therapy plus a short-acting bronchodilator.

Further data from the study, recently published in The Lancet, showed for the first time a positive effect of giving an inhaled steroid for daily maintenance and as-needed to both prevent and treat symptoms.

National approvals are expected to be issued throughout the EU over the coming months.