Pharmacokinetics and Safety Comparison of Tiotropium Inhalation Powder Administered as the Bromide Salt From Hard Polyethylene Capsule Via the HandiHaler® 2 and Spiriva® HandiHaler® in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The primary objective of this trial was to establish non-inferiority of lung function response to tiotropium 10 μg, formulated as inhalation powder in the polyethylene hard capsule and delivered via the HandiHaler® 2, compared to tiotropium 18 μg, formulated as inhalation powder in the hard gelatine capsule and delivered via the HandiHaler® (Spiriva®) following single dose inhalation in patients with COPD. A hard polyethylene (PE) capsule with half the strength (tiotropium 5 μg) was included to investigate a dose ordering effect. The secondary objectives were to characterize the pharmacokinetics of tiotropium inhalation powder hard PE capsule (delivered via HandiHaler® 2) and tiotropium inhalation powder hard gelatine capsule (delivered via HandiHaler®) and to compare the safety of the two pharmaceutical formulations.