Study to investigate the effect of 12-week treatment with three doses (5, 25 and 75 mg) BIIL 284 BS on exercise endurance, lung function, quality of life, spontaneous sputum and safety in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Inclusion Criteria:

• A diagnosis of COPD as defined by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria. Patients had to have relatively stable airway obstruction with a FEV1 ≥ 20 % and ≤ 70 % of predicted value and FEV1/ FVC ≤ 70 % at screening Visit 1. Predicted normal values were based on the guidelines for standardised lung function testing of the European Community for Steel and Coal (ECSC) for patients of the Caucasian race and on the predicted equations for patients belonging to the Black race. Patients had to have lung hyperinflation as demonstrated by thoracic gas volume box (TGVbox) ≥ 100 % of predicted value (same as predicted value for functional residual capacity (FRC) measured by body plethysmography)

• Males or females aged 40 years or older. Female patients of childbearing potential could not participate in this study. Female patients had to be either:

  • surgically sterilised by hysterectomy or bilateral tubal ligation, or
  • post-menopausal for at least two years

• A smoking history of more than ten pack-years (p.y.). A p.y. was defined as the equivalent of smoking one pack of 20 cigarettes per day for a year

• Patients had to be able to perform pulmonary function testings (PFTs), exercise endurance test not terminated due to leg discomfort alone or other restrictions diseases (e.g. claudicatio intermittens, etc.) only and maintain records during the study period as required in the protocol

• All patients had to sign both informed consent forms (one on specific study procedures, one related to DNA derived determinations) prior to participation in the trial i.e., prior to pre-study washout of their usual pulmonary medications if they agreed to participate in both portions of the trial. The patient was not obligated to participate in the DNA collection portion of the trial

Exclusion Criteria:

• Clinical and/or radiographic evidence and/or antibiotic treatment of an upper or lower respiratory tract infection within the previous four weeks or during the screening period of this study
• Significant diseases other than COPD were excluded. A significant disease was defined as a disease which in the opinion of the investigator could either put the patient at risk because of participation in the study or a disease which could influence the results of the study or the patient's ability to participate in the study. Patients with inflammatory diseases, e.g., Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis, and those with autoimmune diseases were excluded
• Clinically significant abnormal baseline haematology, liver function, blood chemistry or urinalysis. If the abnormality defined a disease listed as an exclusion criterion the patient was excluded
• A recent history (i.e., within six months) of myocardial infarction
• A recent history (i.e., within three months) of refractory heart failure or unstable arrhythmia requiring treatment
• Patients with known tuberculosis
• A history of cancer within the last five years. Patients with treated basal cell carcinoma or cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma were allowed
• A history of life-threatening airway obstruction or a history of cystic fibrosis
• Previous thoracotomy with pulmonary resection. Patients with a history of a thoracotomy without pulmonary resection were evaluated as per exclusion criterion No. 2
• A change in pulmonary therapy, including rehabilitation therapy, within the four weeks prior to the first screening Visit (Visit 1) in order to control the patient's COPD
• A history of asthma or a total blood eosinophil count ≥ 600/mm3. A repeat eosinophil count was not conducted in these patients
• A history (within the past five years) of and/or current alcohol abuse and/or drug abuse
• Use of an investigational drug within one month or six half lives (which ever is greater) of the first Screening Visit (Visit 1)
• Patients requiring oxygen therapy 24 hours a day or requiring oxygen during exercise. Patients that desaturated during exercise were only excluded upon medical judgement of the investigator