This multicenter study will be conducted to compare the effect of FF/UMEC/VI with FF/VI plus UMEC on lung function after 24 weeks of treatment. This is a phase IIIB, 24-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel group multicenter study. This study will test the hypothesis that the difference in trough forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) between treatment groups is less than or equal to a pre-specified non-inferiority margin. Alternatively, this study will also test the hypothesis that the difference between treatment groups is greater than the margin. The triple therapy of FF/UMEC/VI in a single inhaler is being developed with the aim of providing a new treatment option for the management of advanced Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Group D COPD which will reduce the exacerbation frequency, allow for a reduced burden of polypharmacy, convenience, and improve lung function, health related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptom control over established dual/monotherapies. This study has a 2 week run in period where subjects will continue to have their existing COPD medications. At randomization, subjects will discontinue all existing COPD medications and will be assigned to treatment of FF/UMEC/VI, 100 microgram (mcg)/62.5 mcg/25 mcg and placebo or FF/VI, 100 mcg/25 mcg and UMEC, 62.5 mcg in a 1:1 ratio for 24 weeks. Subjects will have clinical visits at Pre-Screening (Visit 0), Screening (Visit 1), Randomization (Week 0, Visit 2), Week 4 (Visit 3), Week 12 (Visit 4) and Week 24 (Visit 5). A follow-up visit will be conducted at 1 week after the end of treatment period or after early withdrawal visit. Approximately, 1020 subjects will be enrolled in this study. There will be two pharmacokinetic (PK) groups (subset A and subset B). Approximately 120 subjects will be assigned to subset A and approximately 60 subjects will be assigned to subset B. The total duration of subject participation will be approximately 27 weeks, consisting of a 2-week run-in period, 24-week treatment period and a 1-week follow-up period.

Inclusion Criteria:

Informed Consent: A signed and dated written informed consent prior to study participation.

• Type of subject: Outsubject.
• Age: Subjects 40 years of age or older at Screening (Visit 1).
• Gender: Male or female subjects. A female subject is eligible to participate if she is not pregnant (as confirmed by a negative urine human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) test), not lactating, and at least one of the following conditions applies:

Non-reproductive potential defined as:

• Pre-menopausal females with one of the following: Documented tubal ligation, Documented hysteroscopic tubal occlusion procedure with follow-up confirmation of bilateral tubal occlusion; Hysterectomy; Documented Bilateral Oophorectomy.
• Postmenopausal defined as 12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea. Females on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and whose menopausal status is in doubt will be required to use one of the highly effective contraception methods if they wish to continue their HRT during the study. Otherwise, they must discontinue HRT to allow confirmation of post-menopausal status prior to study enrolment.

Reproductive potential and agrees to follow one of the options listed in the Modified List of Highly Effective Methods for Avoiding Pregnancy in Females of Reproductive Potential (FRP) from 30 days prior to the first dose of study treatmentand until after the last dose of study treatmentand completion of the follow-up visit.

• COPD Diagnosis: An established clinical history of COPD in accordance with the definition by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society.
• Smoking History: Current or former cigarette smokers with a history of cigarette smoking of >=10 pack-years at Screening (Visit 1) [number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day divided by 20) x number of years smoked (e.g., 20 cigarettes per day for 10 years, or 10 cigarettes per day for 20 years)]. Previous smokers are defined as those who have stopped smoking for at least 6 months prior to Screening (Visit 1). Note: Pipe and/or cigar use cannot be used to calculate pack-year history.
• Severity of COPD symptoms: A score of >=10 on the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) at Screening (Visit1).
• Severity of COPD Disease: A post-albuterol/salbutamol FEV1/FVC ratio of <0.70 at Screening (Visit 1).
• Existing COPD maintenance treatment: Subject must be receiving daily maintenance treatment for their COPD for at least 3 months prior to Screening (Visit 1). Note: Subjects receiving only as needed COPD medications are not eligible.
• History of Exacerbations: Subjects must demonstrate: a post-bronchodilator FEV1 <50 percent predicted normal at Screening (Visit 1) and a documented history of >=1 moderate or severe COPD exacerbation in the 12 months prior to Screening or a post-bronchodilator 50 percent =< FEV1 <80 percent predicted normal at Screening (Visit 1) and a documented history of >=2 moderate exacerbations or a documented history of >=1 severe COPD exacerbation (hospitalised) in the 12 months prior to Screening (Visit 1). Notes: Percent predicted will be calculated using the European Respiratory Society Global Lung Function Initiative reference equations; A documented history of a COPD exacerbation (e.g., medical record verification) is a medical record of worsening COPD symptoms that required systemic/oral corticosteroids and/or antibiotics (for a moderate exacerbation) or hospitalisation (for a severe exacerbation). Prior use of antibiotics alone does not qualify as an exacerbation history unless the use was associated with treatment of worsening symptoms of COPD, such as increased dyspnoea, sputum volume, or sputum purulence (colour). Subject verbal reports are not acceptable.
• French subjects: In France, a subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if either affiliated to or a beneficiary of a social security category.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy: Women who are pregnant or lactating or are planning on becoming pregnant during the study.
• Asthma: Subjects with a current diagnosis of asthma. (Subjects with a prior history of asthma are eligible if they have a current diagnosis of COPD, which is the primary cause of their respiratory symptoms).
• Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency: Subjects with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency as the underlying cause of COPD.
• Other respiratory disorders: Subjects with active tuberculosis are excluded. Subjects with other respiratory disorders (e.g. clinically significant: bronchiectasis, sarcoidosis, lung fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung diseases) are excluded if these conditions are the primary cause of their respiratory symptoms.
• Lung resection: Subjects with lung volume reduction surgery (including procedures such as endobronchial valves) within the 12 months prior to Screening (Visit 1).
• Risk Factors for Pneumonia: immune suppression (e.g. advanced human immune deficiency virus (HIV) with high viral load and low cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count, Lupus on immunosuppressants that would increase risk of pneumonia) or other risk factors for pneumonia (e.g. neurological disorders affecting control of the upper airway, such as Parkinson's Disease, Myasthenia Gravis). Notes: Subjects at a high risk for pneumonia (e.g. very low body mass index (BMI), severely malnourished or very low FEV1) will only be included at the discretion of the investigator.
• Pneumonia and/or moderate or severe COPD exacerbation that has not resolved at least 14 days prior to Screening (Visit 1) and at least 30 days following the last dose of oral/systemic corticosteroids (if applicable).
• Other Respiratory tract infections that have not resolved at least 7 days prior to Screening (Visit 1).
• Abnormal Chest x-ray: Chest x-ray reveals evidence of pneumonia or a clinically significant abnormality not believed to be due to the presence of COPD, or another condition that would hinder the ability to detect an infiltrate on chest x-ray (e.g. significant cardiomegaly, pleural effusion or scarring). All subjects will have a chest x-ray at Screening (Visit 1) [or historical radiograph or computerised tomography (CT) scan obtained within 3 months prior to Screening (Visit 1). Notes: Subjects who have experienced pneumonia and/or moderate or severe COPD exacerbation within 3 months of Screening (Visit 1) must provide a post pneumonia/exacerbation chest x-ray or have a chest x-ray conducted at Screening (Visit 1); For sites in Germany: If a chest x-ray (or CT scan) within 3 months prior to Screening (Visit 1) is not available, approval to conduct a diagnostic chest x-ray will need to be obtained from the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BFS).
• Other diseases/abnormalities: Subjects with historical or current evidence of clinically significant cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric, renal, hepatic, immunological, gastrointestinal, urogenital, nervous system, musculoskeletal, skin, sensory, endocrine (including uncontrolled diabetes or thyroid disease) or hematological abnormalities that are uncontrolled. Significant is defined as any disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, would put the safety of the subject at risk through participation, or which would affect the efficacy or safety analysis if the disease/condition exacerbated during the study.
• Unstable liver disease: ALT >2 times upper limit of normal (ULN); and bilirubin >1.5 times ULN (isolated bilirubin >1.5 times ULN is acceptable if bilirubin is fractionated and direct bilirubin <35 percent). Current active liver or biliary disease (with the exception of Gilbert's syndrome or asymptomatic gallstones or otherwise stable chronic liver disease per investigator assessment). Notes: Stable chronic liver disease should generally be defined by the absence of ascites, encephalopathy, coagulopathy, hypoalbuminaemia, oesophageal or gastric varices, or persistent jaundice, or cirrhosis; Chronic stable hepatitis B and C (e.g., presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or positive hepatitis C antibody test result at screening or within 3 months prior to first dose of study treatment) are acceptable if subject otherwise meets entry criteria.
• Unstable or life threatening cardiac disease: subjects with any of the following at Screening (Visit 1) would be excluded: Myocardial infarction or unstable angina in the last 6 months; Unstable or life threatening cardiac arrhythmia requiring intervention in the last 3 months; New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class 4 Heart failure.
• Abnormal and clinically significant 12-Lead ECG finding: Investigators will be provided with ECG reviews conducted by a centralized independent cardiologist to assist in evaluation of subject eligibility. The investigator will determine the clinical significance of each abnormal ECG finding in relation to the subject's medical history and exclude subjects who would be at undue risk by participating in the trial. An abnormal and clinically significant finding that would preclude a subject from entering the trial is defined as a 12-lead tracing that is interpreted as, but not limited to, any of the following: atrial fibrillation (AF) with rapid ventricular rate >120 beats per minute (BPM); sustained or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT); Second degree heart block Mobitz type II and third degree heart block (unless pacemaker or defibrillator had been inserted).
• Contraindications: A history of allergy or hypersensitivity to any corticosteroid, anticholinergic/muscarinic receptor antagonist, beta2-agonist, lactose/milk protein or magnesium stearate or a medical condition such as narrow-angle glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy or bladder neck obstruction that, in the opinion of the investigator contraindicates study participation.
• Cancer: Subjects with carcinoma that has not been in complete remission for at least 3 years. Subjects who have had carcinoma in situ of the cervix, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma of the skin would not be excluded based on the 3 year waiting period if the subject has been considered cured by treatment.
• Oxygen therapy: Use of long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) described as resting oxygen therapy >3 Liters per minute (Oxygen use <= 3 Liters/minute flow is not exclusionary.)
• Medication prior to spirometry: Subjects who are medically unable to withhold their albuterol/salbutamol for the 4-hour period required prior to spirometry testing at each study visit.
• Drug/alcohol abuse: Subjects with a known or suspected history of alcohol or drug abuse within the last 2 years.
• Non-compliance: Subjects at risk of non-compliance, or unable to comply with the study procedures. Any infirmity, disability, or geographic location that would limit compliance for scheduled visits.
• Questionable validity of consent: Subjects with a history of psychiatric disease, intellectual deficiency, poor motivation or other conditions that will limit the validity of informed consent to participate in the study.
• Affiliation with investigator site: Study investigators, sub-investigators, and study coordinators, employees of a participating investigator or study site, or immediate family members of the aforementioned that is involved with this study.
• Inability to read: In the opinion of the investigator, any subject who is unable to read and/or would not be able to complete study related materials.
• Medication prior to Screening: Use of the following medications within 30 days prior to Screening (Visit 1) or requirement for their use during the study: Use of long term continuous antibiotic therapy; systemic, oral, parenteral corticosteroids (Intra-spinal and intra-articular injections are allowed); use of any other investigational drug: within 30 days or 5 half lives whichever is longer.](streamdown:incomplete-link)

IPD for this study will be made available via the Clinical Study Data Request site.

IPD is available via the Clinical Study Data Request site (click on the link provided below)

Access is provided after a research proposal is submitted and has received approval from the Independent Review Panel and after a Data Sharing Agreement is in place. Access is provided for an initial period of 12 months but an extension can be granted, when justified, for up to another 12 months.