Almirall and Forest Laboratories Announce FDA Approval of Tudorza™ Pressair™ for the Long-term Maintenance Treatment of COPD

Almirall and Forest Laboratories Announce FDA Approval of Tudorza™ Pressair™ for the Long-term Maintenance Treatment of COPD PR Newswire BARCELONA, Spain and NEW YORK, July 24, 2012 BARCELONA, Spain and NEW YORK, July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- COPD is currently the third leading cause of mortality in the U S A Tudorza™ Pressair™ (aclidinium bromide inhalation powder) will be available in the fourth quarter 2012 European approval of aclidnium expected in Q3 2012 Almirall, S.A. (ALM.MC) and Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tudorza™ Pressair™ (aclidinium bromide inhalation powder) for the long-term maintenance treatment of bronchospasm associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is a common, progressive, and debilitating lung disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation that makes it hard to breathe; it is currently the third leading cause of mortality in the US. Characteristic symptoms include breathlessness, excessive production of sputum, and a chronic cough. Tudorza™ is a twice-daily inhaled long-acting anticholinergic, also referred to as a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA). Tudorza™ produces bronchodilation by inhibiting acetylcholine's effect on muscarinic receptors in the airway smooth muscle. Forest expects Tudorza™ Pressair™ to be available to wholesalers in the fourth calendar quarter of 2012.