About Pulmicort

Pulmicort (budesonide) is an inhaled corticosteroid indicated for maintenance treatment of asthma in children and adults. In some countries Pulmicort is also indicated for maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Pulmicort was first registered in 1981, is now approved in 89 countries and has been used for over 12.5 billion treatment days. Pulmicort is available in three administration forms, a dry powder inhaler (Pulmicort Turbuhaler), as a nebulising suspension (Pulmicort Respules) and as a pressurized Metered-Dose inhaler (Pulmicort pMDI).

Budesonide has pronounced and long lasting anti-inflammatory effects in the airways, and has a rapid systemic elimination, which results in a high therapeutic ratio. Administration via Turbuhaler, which delivers a high fraction of budesonide fine particles into the lungs, and less drug at unwanted sites, further enhances the therapeutic ratio.

The following pages will take you through parts of the extensive documentation of Pulmicort, including the START study, performed in over 7000 patients with mild persistent asthma.