New asthma pill hailed in early trialsPARIS: The first new asthma pill in nearly 20 years has led to a sharp improvement in symptoms for chronic sufferers of the disease, according to an early test of the drug. A treatment called fevipiprant eased asthma symptoms, improved lung function, reduced inflammation and repaired the lining of airways, researchers reported on Friday. One group was given 225mg of the drug twice a day for 12 weeks and the other participants were given a dummy look-alike pill, called a placebo. People with chronic asthma can prevent or ease the symptoms by using an inhaler or steroids, but these can have hefty side effects. Around 334 million people have asthma, a figure that inflicts a major burden on economies and health systems, according to a 2014 investigation, the Global Asthma Report.

Source: Manila Times August 08, 2016 01:30 UTC