MRINZ Director Shares New Insights on ICS/Formoterol Reliever Therapy in Childhood Asthma at International Respiratory Meeting
Professor Richard Beasley, MRINZ Director, explored advances in childhood asthma treatment, presenting on ICS/Formoterol reliever therapy at the 30th International Meeting on Asthma, Rhinitis, COPD and their Comorbidities.
The presentation reviewed the evidence for the use of combination inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)–formoterol reliever therapy in the management of children and adolescents with asthma. ICS/Formoterol combines an ICS medication with a rapid-acting bronchodilator, delivering both anti-inflammatory treatment and symptom relief in a single inhaler..
The main focus was the presentation of the findings of the MRINZ-led CARE study, recently published in The Lancet. This was the first randomised controlled trial to investigate the use of a 2-in-1 ICS/formoterol inhaler as the sole reliever therapy for children aged 5 to 15. The study showed that this combined treatment was more effective than salbutamol, the current standard for asthma symptom relief in children. The combination 2-in-1 anti-inflammatory reliever inhaler – which combines the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) budesonide and the fast-acting bronchodilator formoterol – reduced children’s asthma attacks by an average of 45%, compared to the widely-used salbutamol inhaler.
The meeting, held annually in Ferrara, Italy, brings together international experts to discuss advances in respiratory medicine, guideline implementation, and emerging evidence in asthma, COPD, and rhinitis. Professor Beasley’s session contributed to ongoing global discussions about optimising asthma management in children, with a focus on evidence-based practice and translating research into clinical care.
Professor Beasley’s presentation reflects MRINZ’s active engagement in international respiratory research and its commitment to improving outcomes for children living with asthma in New Zealand and beyond.
The full presentation and other scientific contributions from the meeting are available on the LIBRA Project website HERE.
