Symbicort COPD approval (correction)

Executive Summary

AstraZeneca's Symbicort 160/4.5 mcg is now approved for the twice-daily maintenance treatment of airflow obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including bronchitis and emphysema, with twice-daily inhalations, like GlaxoSmithKline's Advair 250/50 mcg. The original version of this story incorrectly reported Symbicort's indication and Advair's dosing (1"The Pink Sheet," March 9, 2009, p. 23). Also, AstraZeneca clarified that it will not promote Symbicort based on its risk profile and offered pricing data that differ from the estimates offered by a Decision Resources analyst in the story - the wholesale acquisition cost of Symbicort is listed as $5.87/day while the WAC for Advair is $6.35/day