Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A 26-week Treatment Randomized, Double-blind, Double Dummy, Parallel-group Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of QVA149 (Indacaterol / Glycopyrronium Bromide) Compared to Fluticasone/Salmeterol in Patients With Moderate to Severe COPD
Brief Summary: To demonstrate the non-inferiority of QVA149 110/50 µg o.d. to fluticasone/salmeterol 500/50 µg b.i.d. in terms of trough Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) (mean of 23 hours 15 min and 23 hours 45 min post QVA149 dose) following 26 weeks of treatment in patients with moderate to severe COPD


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

Clinical diagnosis of moderate to severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as per the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2006 Guidelines (mandatory) and including:

* Smoking history of at least 20 pack years
* Post-bronchodilator Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) \< 80% predicted and \>or= 30% of predicted normal value
* Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC \< 70%

("Post" defined as within 30 minutes of inhalation of 400 µg salbutamol)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women and women of child-bearing potential UNLESS they meet pre-specified definitions of post-menopausal or are using pre-specified acceptable methods of contraception
* Hospitalisation for COPD exacerbation in the 6 weeks prior to Visit 1 or during run-in
* Patients requiring oxygen therapy for chronic hypoxemia (typically \>15h/day)
* Respiratory tract infection within 6 weeks prior to Visit 1 and during the run-in period
* Concomitant pulmonary disease
* Asthma history (eosinophils \> 400/mm3; symptoms prior to age 40). Includes history of childhood asthma
* History of long QTc syndrome or QTc interval \> 450 ms for males and \>470 ms for females
* Patients who have a clinically significant condition or a clinically relevant laboratory abnormality
* History of reactions to sympathomimetic amines or inhaled medication
* Inability to use the dry powder devices or perform spirometry
* Irregular day/night, wake/sleep cycles, e.g. shift workers
* Certain medications for COPD and allied conditions such as long acting bronchodilators must not be used prior to Visit 1 and for a pre-specified minimum washout period
* Patients unable or unwilling to complete a patient diary

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.
B: Inclusion criteria:

* All patients must sign an informed consent consistent with International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) - Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines prior to participation in the trial, which includes medication washout and restrictions.
* All patients must have a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and must meet the following spirometric criteria: Patients must have relatively stable airway obstruction with a post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second \>=30% and \<80% of predicted normal; Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease grade II - III, and a post-bronchodilator Tiffeneau index \<70% at Visit 1.
* Male or female patients, aged \>=40 years and \<=75 years.
* Patients must be current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of more than 10 pack years. Patients who have never smoked cigarettes must be excluded.

Exclusion criteria:

* Patients with a significant disease other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
* Patients with clinically relevant abnormal baseline haematology, blood chemistry, or urinalysis.
* Patients with a history of asthma.
* A diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis.
* A diagnosis of paroxysmal tachycardia (\>100 beats per minute).
* A history of myocardial infarction within 1 year of screening visit.
* Unstable or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.
* Hospitalized for heart failure within the past year.
* Known active tuberculosis.
* A malignancy for which patient has undergone resection, radiation therapy or chemotherapy within last five years.
* A history of life-threatening pulmonary obstruction and patients with chronic respiratory failure.
* A history of cystic fibrosis.
* Clinically evident bronchiectasis.
* A history of significant alcohol or drug abuse.
* Any contraindications for exercise testing.
* Patients who have undergone thoracotomy with pulmonary resection.
* Patients being treated with any oral ß-adrenergics.
* Patients being treated with oral corticosteroid medication at unstable doses (i.e., less than six weeks on a stable dose) or at doses in excess of the equivalent of 10 mg of prednisone per day or 20 mg every other day.
* Patients who regularly use daytime oxygen therapy for more than one hour per day and in the investigators opinion will be unable to abstain from the use of oxygen therapy during clinic visits.
* Patients who have completed a pulmonary rehabilitation program in the six weeks prior to the screening visit or patients who are currently in a pulmonary rehabilitation program.
* Patients who have a limitation of exercise performance as a result of factors other than fatigue or exertional dyspnoea, such as arthritis in the leg, angina pectoris or claudication or morbid obesity.
* Patients who have taken an investigational drug within one month or six half lives (whichever is greater) prior to screening visit.
* Patients with known hypersensitivity to ß-adrenergics drugs, anticholinergic drugs, benzalkonium chloride, disodium edentat, or any other component of the Respimat® inhalation solution delivery system.
* Pregnant or nursing women.
* Women of childbearing potential not using highly effective methods of birth control.
* Patients who have previously been randomized in this study or are currently participating in another study.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with moderate to severe stable COPD (Stage II or Stage III) according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Guideline.

Current or ex-smokers who have a smoking history of at least 10 pack years. Patients with a post-bronchodilator Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) ≥ 30% and \< 80% of the predicted normal, and post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC \< 0.7.

Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) grade of at least 2 at Visit 2.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women, where pregnancy is defined as the state of a female after conception and until the termination of gestation, confirmed by a positive Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) laboratory test.

Patents with narrow-angle glaucoma, symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), bladder-neck obstruction, moderate to severe renal impairment or urinary retention. BPH patients who are stable on treatment can be considered.

Patients with a history of long QT syndrome or whose QTc measured at run-in (Visit 2) (Fridericia method) is prolonged (\>450 ms for males and females) as confirmed by the central Electrocardiogram (ECG) assessor.

Patients with Type I or uncontrolled Type II diabetes. Patients who have not achieved spirometry result at Visit 2 in accordance with American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) criteria for acceptability and repeatability.

Patients with, a) any history of asthma or, b) onset of respiratory symptoms prior to age 40 years.

Patients with concomitant pulmonary disease (e.g. lung fibrosis, primary bronchiectasis, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disorder, pulmonary hypertension).

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply
D: Inclusion criteria:

1. All patients must sign an informed consent consistent with International Conference on Harmonization-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) guidelines prior to participation in the trial, which includes medication washout and restrictions.
2. All patients must have a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and must meet the following spirometric criteria: Patients must have a relatively stable airway obstruction with a post-bronchodilator FEV1 ≥ 30 % and \< 80% of predicted normal and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC \<70% at Visit 1.
3. Male or female patients, 40 years of age or older.
4. Patients must be current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of more than 10 pack years
5. Patients must be able to: perform technically acceptable pulmonary function tests, and maintain records(paper diary).
6. Patients must be able to inhale medication in a competent manner from the Respimat Inhaler as well as the Handihaler.

Exclusion criteria:

1. Patients with a significant disease other than COPD; a significant disease is defined as a disease which, in the opinion of the investigator, may (i) put the patient at risk because of participation in the study, (ii) influence the results of the study, or (iii) cause concern regarding the patients ability to participate in the study.
2. Patients with clinically relevant abnormal baseline haematology, blood chemistry, or urinalysis; all patients with an AST \>x2 ULN, ALT \>x2 ULN, bilirubin \>x2 ULN or creatinine \>x2 ULN will be excluded regardless of clinical condition (a repeat laboratory evaluation will not be conducted in these patients).
3. Patients with a history of asthma. For patients with allergic rhinitis or atopy, source documentation is required to verify that the patient does not have asthma. If a patient has a total blood eosinophil count ≥600/mm3, source documentation is required to verify that the increased eosinophil count is related to a non-asthmatic condition.
4. A diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis (due to the known class side effect profile of ß2-agonists).
5. A diagnosis of paroxysmal tachycardia (\>100 beats per minute) (due to the known class side effect profile of ß2-agonists).
6. A history of myocardial infarction within 1 year of screening visit (Visit 1).
7. Unstable or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.
8. Hospitalization for heart failure within the past year.
9. Known active tuberculosis.
10. A malignancy for which patient has undergone resection, radiation therapy or chemotherapy within last five years (patients with treated basal cell carcinoma are allowed).
11. A history of life-threatening pulmonary obstruction.
12. A history of cystic fibrosis.
13. Clinically evident bronchiectasis.
14. A history of significant alcohol or drug abuse.
15. Patients who have undergone thoracotomy with pulmonary resection (patients with a history of thoracotomy for other reasons should be evaluated as per exclusion criterion No. 1).
16. Patients being treated with oral or patch ß-adrenergics.
17. Patients being treated with oral corticosteroid medication at unstable doses (i.e., less than six weeks on a stable dose) or at doses in excess of the equivalent of 10 mg of prednisone per day or 20 mg every other day.
18. Patients who regularly use daytime oxygen therapy for more than one hour per day and in the investigators opinion will be unable to abstain from the use of oxygen therapy during clinic visits.
19. Patients who have completed a pulmonary rehabilitation program in the six weeks prior to the screening visit (Visit 1) or patients who are currently in a pulmonary rehabilitation program.
20. Patients who have taken an investigational drug within one month or six half lives (whichever is greater) prior to screening visit (Visit 1).
21. Patients with known hypersensitivity to ß-adrenergic drugs, BAC, EDTA, or any other component of the Respimat® inhalation solution.
22. Patients with known hypersensitivity to anticholinergic drugs, lactose, or any other components of the HandiHaler®.
23. Pregnant or nursing women.
24. Women of childbearing potential not using a highly effective method of birth control\*. Female patients will be considered to be of childbearing potential unless surgically sterilised by hysterectomy or bilateral tubal ligation, or post-menopausal for at least two years.

    \* as per ICH M3(R2) a highly effective method of birth control is defined as those which result in a low failure rate (i.e. less than 1% per year).
25. Patients who have previously been randomised in this study or are currently participating in another study.
26. Patients who are unable to comply with pulmonary medication restrictions prior to randomisation.

Answer: C