Michael Blash, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals
312-494-4252
[email protected]
Suzanne Ross
302-886-5465
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM TO RECAP THE SUCCESS OF THE FIRST YEAR WITH NEW CLASS OF ORAL ASTHMA CONTROLLER THERAPIES
Physicians To Review the Effects of Antileukotrienes on Clinical Asthma
WASHINGTON--March 14, 1998--Physicians today reviewed the impact of the newest class of asthma medications, antileukotrienes, on the management of asthma symptoms in a scientific symposium funded by an education grant from Zeneca Pharmaceuticals at the 54th annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
"This new class of asthma medication opens a new door in terms of treatment and improvement of asthma conditions that we did not have before," said Sheldon Spector, M.D., a clinical professor of medicine with the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine; Director of the Allergy Research Foundation; and presenter at the LTRA symposium.
"Real-World Experience: One Year Plus of Antileukotriene Therapy" provided physicians with an overview of the roles of antileukotriene agents in the management of asthma and discussed the effectiveness of antileukotriene agents in clinical practice.
The seminar also discussed the revised asthma treatment guidelines from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)--which now include leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs)--results of safety analyses on LTRAs, dosing, potential new uses for these medications, and their economic effects. A survey of AAAAI members on their clinical experiences with use of LTRAs was also presented.
In November 1996, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals introduced ACCOLATE(r) (zafirlukast), a leukotriene receptor antagonist that was the first product in the newest class of asthma drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Through February 1998, ACCOLATE was prescribed more than two million times to patients ages 12 years and older for the preventive and chronic treatment of asthma, making it the leading antileukotriene agent.
The introduction of this newest class of medications has had a positive impact on how physicians approach the management of asthma symptoms. LTRAs help to control asthma symptoms, rather than treating an attack when it occurs. Leukotrienes are chemicals produced within the body which cause an inflammatory reaction in the lungs. When these leukotrienes contribute to airway inflammation, flare up of asthma symptoms may result. Thus, blocking the actions of leukotrienes inhibits their ability to cause asthma symptoms in many patients.
"Leukotriene receptor antagonists such as ACCOLATE have changed the way asthma is being treated because we now have an oral agent which we can use to help control the symptoms of asthma," said James Kemp, M.D., clinical professor at the University of California at San Diego and presenter at the LTRA symposium. "In my experience, this is a type of treatment that is preferred by many patients with asthma."
In the absence of a cure for asthma, many leading experts view control of asthma symptoms through use of a daily preventive treatment as the most effective means of helping patients reduce asthma's impact on their life. More than 14.5 million Americans live with asthma, a chronic, sometimes fatal, lung disease.
ACCOLATE is a daily controller agent and should not be used to reverse the symptoms of a sudden asthma attack. ACCOLATE is generally well tolerated by most patients. Patients should consult with their doctors before changing their current asthma medications, if they are prescribed a blood thinner, if they are nursing, or if their medical condition worsens. Side effects may include headache, infection, and nausea.
Zeneca Pharmaceuticals is a business unit of Zeneca Inc., a $3.4 billion bioscience business with approximately 7,200 employees in the United States. Zeneca Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the U.K.-based Zeneca Group PLC (NYSE:ZEN), a major $8.6 billion international bioscience business engaged in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of ethical (prescription) pharmaceuticals, agricultural and specialty chemical products, and the supply of health care services.
NOTE: For full prescribing information for ACCOLATE, please call Michael Blash at 302-886-5465 or access the World Wide Web at www.accolateinfo.com.
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