Novel combinations of long-acting β2-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids undergoing development
| Drugs | Advantages | Latest developments | Company working on this strategy |
| Carmoterol/budesonide | It is two-fold more effective than formoterol/budesonide in animal models. | Phase I/II | Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma Italy |
| Indacaterol/mometasone (QMF-149) | It has a superior delivery profile than formoterol/budesonide owing to its once-daily dosing. | Phase III | Novartis, Basle, Switzerland/Schering-Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, NJ, USA |
| GSK-642444/fluticasone furoate | No data presented yet. | Phase IIb | GlaxoSmithKline, London, UK |
| Formoterol/mometasone (MFF258) | No data presented yet. It should be established whether formoterol can be administered on a once-daily basis. | Phase III | Novartis, Basle, Switzerland/Schering-Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, NJ, USA |
| Formoterol/ciclesonide | No data presented yet. It should be established whether formoterol can be administered on a once-daily basis. | Phase II | Nycomed, Zurich, Switzerland/Sanofi Aventis, Paris, France |