The AIRWARD Study: A Phase III, Double-blind, Randomised, Placebo-controlled, Multicentre Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Verducatib in Participants With COPD

Summary

This study is open to adults aged 40 years and older who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with ongoing symptoms. People can join the study if they are at risk of COPD flare-ups (also called acute exacerbations or sudden worsening of COPD symptoms) even though they use their usual inhaled or oral COPD medicines. They must have had at least 2 moderate COPD flare-ups or at least 1 severe COPD flare-up in the past year, including at least 1 while taking their current COPD treatment. People must also have a blood test result showing less than 300 eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) per microliter. The purpose of this study is to find out whether a medicine called verducatib helps people with COPD have fewer flare-ups or sudden worsening of COPD symptoms over up to about 1.5 years, compared with placebo. The study also looks at whether verducatib delays the time until the first flare-up, how well it is tolerated, improves participants' quality of life, and improves their lung function when compared with placebo. In this study, participants are put into 2 groups randomly, which means by chance. One group takes verducatib as tablets and the other group takes placebo tablets. Placebo tablets look like verducatib tablets but do not contain any medicine. Participants take a tablet by mouth once a day for at least 1 year and up to about 1.5 years. All participants continue their regular COPD treatment during the study. Participants are in the study for at least 1 year and up to about 1 year and 8 months. During this time, they have regular visits at the study site and monthly phone calls from the study staff to check on their COPD symptoms and any health problems. Doctors collect information about participants' health, including blood samples. They record how often participants have moderate or severe COPD flare-ups and how long it takes until the first flare-up. They also measure lung function and ask participants to fill in questionnaires about their symptoms and daily life. Participants have to daily report their symptoms and intake of certain medications in an electronic diary at home. The results are compared between the 2 groups to see whether verducatib helps reduce flare-ups and improves symptoms. The doctors also regularly check participants' health and note any unwanted effects.