Pharmaceutical labels are likely to be printed in large supplies after a new drug was announced to treat lung disease.

Vectura said its NVA237 treatment for moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been licensed by Novartis and will be launched early next year.

In trials, it was found that the drug - described as a long-acting muscarinic antagonist - worked better than a placebo in improving lung function among COPD patients after 12 weeks of being administered by an inhaler.

Chris Blackwell, chief executive of Vectura, said this development could have important implications for the pharmaceutical industry.

"[It] provides encouraging evidence that NVA237 could offer important benefits for patients with COPD; a multi-billion-dollar market that is still growing," he added.

According to the NHS, there are around 835,000 people in the UK with COPD, although a further two million may be living with it without having been diagnosed.

Denny Bros Ltd, 20 April 2011