Once-daily fluticasone furoate/vilanterol versus twice-daily fluticasone propionate/salmeterol in patients with asthma well controlled on ICS/LABA

Objective: We aimed to demonstrate non-inferiority of once-daily fluticasone furoate/vilanterol 100/25 µg (FF/VI) to twice-daily fluticasone propionate/salmeterol 250/50 µg (FP/SAL) in adults/adolescents with asthma well controlled on inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β₂ agonist (ICS/LABA). Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group, 24-week study (NCT02301975/GSK study 201378). Patients whose asthma met study-defined criteria for control were randomized 1:1:1 to receive FF/VI, FP/SAL or twice-daily FP 250 µg for 24 weeks. Primary endpoint was change from baseline in evening trough forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁). Secondary endpoints included rescue-/symptom-free 24-hour periods. Safety was also assessed. Results: The intent-to-treat (ITT) population included 1504 randomized and treated patients (504 FF/VI; 501 FP/SAL; 499 FP); mean age 43.5 years, 64% female. FF/VI demonstrated non-inferiority (using a margin of ?100 mL) to FP/SAL for evening trough FEV₁ at Week 24 (ITT: 19 mL 95% confidence interval (CI) ?11 to 49]; per protocol population N = 1336]: 6 mL 95% CI ?27 to 40]). Improvement in evening trough FEV₁ at Week 24 for both FF/VI (123 mL; p < 0.001) and FP/SAL (104 mL; p < 0.001) was greater than FP. FF/VI increased rescue-/symptom-free 24-hour periods by 1.2%/1.2% compared with FP/SAL. All treatments were well tolerated. On-treatment adverse event (AE) rates were 43% to 45% across arms; there were no drug-related serious AEs. Conclusions: FF/VI was non-inferior to FP/SAL for evening trough FEV₁ at 24 weeks. These data suggest that patients well controlled on FP/SAL could step across to FF/VI without loss of control.