Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Randomised, Double-blind, Double-dummy, Active-controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Twice-daily Aclidinium Bromide/Formoterol Fumarate Compared With Twice-daily Salmeterol/Fluticasone Propionate for 24 Weeks Treatment in Symptomatic Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Brief Summary: The purpose of the study is to compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of aclidinium bromide/formoterol fumarate and salmeterol/fluticasone propionate in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult male or non-pregnant, non-lactating female aged ≥40.
* Current or ex-cigarette smoker, with a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years
* Patients with a clinical diagnosis of COPD according to GOLD guidelines 2013, with a post-bronchodilator FEV1 \<80%, and FEV1/FVC \< 70% at Screening Visits
* Symptomatic patients with a COPD assessment test (CAT) ≥10 at Screening and Randomisation Visits
* Patient must be able to perform repeatable pulmonary function testing for FEV1 according to ATS/ERS 2005 criteria at Screening Visits
* Patients eligible and able to participate in the trial and who consent to do so in writing after the purpose and nature of the investigation have been explained

Exclusion Criteria:

* History or current diagnosis of asthma
* Development of a respiratory tract infection or COPD exacerbation within 6 weeks (or 3 months if hospitalisation was required) before the Screening Visit or during the run-in period
* Clinically significant respiratory conditions
* Type I or uncontrolled Type II diabetes, uncontrolled hypo- or hyperthyroidism, hypokalaemia, or hyperadrenergic state, uncontrolled or untreated hypertension
* Patients who, in the investigator's opinion, may need to start a pulmonary rehabilitation programme during the study and/or patients who started/finished it within 3 months prior to Screening Visit
* Use of long-term oxygen therapy (≥15 hours/day)
* Patients treated on daily basis with triple therapy (LABA+LAMA+ICS) within 4 weeks prior to the Screening Visit
* Patient who does not maintain regular day/night, waking/sleeping cycles including night shift workers
* Clinically significant cardiovascular conditions
* Patient with clinically relevant abnormalities in the results of the clinical laboratory tests, ECG parameters or in the physical examination at the Screening Visit
* Patient with a history of hypersensitivity reaction to inhaled anticholinergics, sympathomimetic amines, or inhaled medication or any component thereof (including report of paradoxical bronchospasm)
* Patient with known narrow-angle glaucoma, symptomatic bladder neck obstruction, acute urinary retention, or patients with symptomatic non-stable prostatic hypertrophy
* Patient with known non-controlled history of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or active hepatitis
* History of malignancy of any organ system (including lung cancer), treated or untreated, within the past 5 years other than basal or squamous cell skin cancer
* Patient with any other serious or uncontrolled physical or mental dysfunction
* Patient with a history (within 2 years prior to Screening Visit) of drug and/or alcohol abuse that may prevent study compliance based on investigator judgment
* Patient unlikely to be cooperative or that can't comply with the study procedures
* Patient treated with any investigational drug within 30 days (or 6 half-lives, whichever is longer) prior to Screening Visit
* Patient who intend to use any concomitant medication not permitted by this protocol or who have not undergone the required stabilization periods for prohibited medication
* Any other conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, might indicate the patient to be unsuitable for the study
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult male or non-pregnant, non-lactating female aged ≥40. Women of childbearing potential are allowed to enter the trial if they show to have a negative serum pregnancy test at the Screening Visit and are using, during the last two months before the Screening Visit, at least one medically approved and highly effective method of birth control defined as those which result in a low failure rate (i.e less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly such as implants, injectables, oral contraceptives combined with at least one barrier method, hormonal Intrauterine Devices (IUDs), sexual abstinence or vasectomy of the partner.
* Current or ex-cigarette smoker, with a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years.
* Patient with a clinical diagnosis of stable COPD according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Lung Disease "GOLD" Guidelines at the Screening Visit.
* Patient whose FEV1/FVC (Forced Vital Capacity) at the Screening Visit measured between 10-15 minutes post inhalation of 400 micrograms of salbutamol is \< 70% (i.e., 100 x Post-salbutamol FEV1 /FVC \< 70%).
* Patient with a diagnosis of moderate to severe COPD according to the GOLD Guidelines classification (stages II and III) at the Screening Visit: FEV1 measured between 10-15 minutes post inhalation of 400 micro grams of salbutamol is 30% \< FEV1 \< 80% of the predicted normal value (i.e., 100 x Post-salbutamol FEV1/ Predicted FEV1 must be \< 80% and ≥ 30%).
* Patient must be able to perform repeatable pulmonary function testing for FEV1 according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society "ATS/ERS" 2005 criteria at Screening Visit.
* Patient who is eligible and able to participate in the trial and who consent to do so in writing after the purpose and nature of the investigation have been explained.

Exclusion Criteria:

* History or current diagnosis of asthma.
* Any respiratory tract infection (including the upper respiratory tract) or COPD exacerbation in the 6 weeks before Screening Visit.
* Patient hospitalised for COPD exacerbation within 3 months prior to Screening Visit.
* Clinically significant respiratory conditions defined as:

  * Known active tuberculosis.
  * History of interstitial lung or massive pulmonary thromboembolic disease.
  * Pulmonary resection or lung volume reduction surgery within 12 months prior to Screening Visit.
  * History of lung transplantation.
  * History of bronchiectasis secondary to respiratory diseases others than COPD (e.g., cystic fibrosis, Kartagener's syndrome, etc).
  * Known a1-antitrypsin deficiency.
* Patients who in the Investigator's opinion might have needed to start a pulmonary rehabilitation program during the study and/or patients who started/finished it within 3 months prior to screening.
* Use of long-term oxygen therapy (≥ 15 hours/day).
* Patients who did not maintain regular day/night, waking/sleeping cycles including night shift workers (eg, history of sleep apnoea syndrome, any condition related to sleep disturbances such as restless-legs syndrome or somnambulism).
* Clinically significant cardiovascular conditions defined as:

  * Myocardial infarction within the 6 months prior to screening.
  * Thoracic surgery within 12 months prior to screening.
  * Unstable angina or unstable arrhythmia which had required changes in the pharmacological therapy or other intervention within 12 months prior to screening, or newly diagnosed arrhythmia within the previous 3 months prior to screening.
  * Hospitalisation within 12 months prior to screening for heart failure functional classes III (marked limitation of activity and only comfortable at rest) and IV (need of complete rest, confinement to bed or chair, discomfort at any physical activity and presence of symptoms at rest) as per the New York Heart Association.
* Patients (with or without pharmacological therapy) with resting systolic blood pressure (SBP)

  ≥200 mmHg, a resting diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥120 mmHg, or a resting heart rate ≥105 beats per minute (bpm) at screening and at Visit 1 prior to randomisation.
* Patients with interval corrected for heart rate "QTc" \[calculated according to formulae (QTc=QT/RR1/2) \> 470 msec as indicated in the centralised reading report assessed at Screening Visit.
* Patients with clinically relevant abnormalities in the clinical laboratory tests, ECG parameters (other than QT interval corrected using Bazett's formula \[QTcB\]) or in the physical examination at screening, if the abnormality defined a disease state listed as exclusion criteria, except for those related to COPD.
* Patients with a history of hypersensitivity reactions to inhaled anticholinergics, sympathomimetic amines, or inhaled medication or any component thereof (including report of paradoxical bronchospasm). Patients with known narrow-angle glaucoma, symptomatic bladder neck obstruction or acute urinary retention.
* Patients with symptomatic non-stable prostate hypertrophy. (However, patients with well-controlled, stable, asymptomatic benign prostatic hypertrophy were not excluded).
* Patients with known uncontrolled history of infection with human immunodeficiency virus and/or active hepatitis.
* Current diagnosis of cancer other than basal or squamous cell skin cancer.
* Life expectancy of less than 1 year.
* Patients with any other serious or uncontrolled physical or mental dysfunction that, as judged by the Investigator, could have placed the patient at higher risk from his/her participation in the study, could have confounded the results of the study, or is likely to prevent the patient from complying with the requirements of the study, or completing the study.
* Patients with a history (within 2 years prior to screening) of drug and/or alcohol abuse that might have prevented study compliance based on the Investigator judgment.
* Patients unlikely to be cooperative (eg, take the medication, complete the Patient Diaries or attend the clinic at the required times).
* Patients unable to properly use a DPI or pMDI inhaler device or to perform spirometry measurements.
* Patients previously randomised in a study involving aclidinium bromide/formoterol FDC.
* Patients previously randomised in a study involving aclidinium bromide monotherapy except when participation finished at least 6 months before screening.
* Patients treated with any investigational drug within 30 days (or 6 half-lives, whichever is longer) prior to screening.
* Patients who intended to use any concomitant medication not permitted by this protocol or who had not undergone the required washout period for a particular prohibited medication.
* Patients unable to give consent, or patients of consenting age but under guardianship, or vulnerable patients.
* Patients employed, or relatives of employees at the study centre, Almirall or Forest Laboratories.
* Any other conditions that, in the Investigator's opinion, might have indicated the patient to be unsuitable for the study.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Current or former cigarette smokers with a cigarette smoking history of at least 10 pack-years
* A diagnosis of stable moderate to severe COPD and stable airway obstruction as defined by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines and stable airway obstruction.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who have been hospitalized for an acute COPD exacerbation within three months prior to Visit 1
* Any respiratory tract infection (including the upper respiratory tract) or COPD exacerbation in the six weeks before Visit 1.
* Patients with any clinically significant respiratory conditions other than COPD
* Clinical history that suggests that the patient has asthma as opposed to COPD
* Chronic use of oxygen therapy ≥ 15 hours/day
* Patients with clinically significant cardiovascular conditions
* Patients with uncontrolled infection that may place the patient at risk resulting from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), active hepatitis and/or patients with diagnosed active tuberculosis
* Patients with a history of hypersensitivity reaction to inhaled anticholinergics,
* Patients with Stage II hypertension, defined as systolic pressure of 160 and above, and/or diastolic pressure of 100 and above
* Current diagnosis of cancer other than basal or squamous cell skin cancer
D: Inclusion criteria:

* COPD Subjects
* A COPD subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if all of the following criteria apply:
* Male or female subjects, aged 40-75 years inclusive
* A baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1 \<80% of predicted normal and a baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1/FVC ratio 70%
* Current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years (number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked e.g., 20 cigarettes per day for 10 years, or 10 cigarettes per day for 20 years).
* A signed and dated written informed consent is obtained prior to participation
* Able to comply with the requirements of the protocol and be available for study visits over 3 years

Control Subjects - Current/Ex Smokers

* A control subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if all of the following criteria apply:
* Male or female subjects, aged 40-75 years inclusive, who are free from significant disease as determined by history, physical examination and screening investigations
* Baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1 \>85% of predicted normal. FEV1/FVC ratio \>70%
* Current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years (number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked e.g., 20 cigarettes per day for 10 years, or 10 cigarettes per day for 20 years).
* A signed and dated written informed consent is obtained prior to participation.
* Able to comply with the requirements of the protocol and be available for study visits over 3 years

Control Subjects - Non-smokers

* A non-smoking control subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if all of the following criteria apply:
* Male or female subjects, aged 40-75 years inclusive, who are free from significant disease as determined by history, physical examination and screening investigations
* Baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1 \>85% of predicted normal. FEV1/FVC ratio \>70%
* Non-smokers with a smoking history of \< 1 pack-year (number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked).
* A signed and dated written informed consent is obtained prior to participation.
* Able to comply with the requirements of the protocol and be available for study visits over 3 years

Exclusion Criteria:

COPD Subjects

* A COPD subject will not be eligible for inclusion in this study if any of the following criteria apply:
* Known respiratory disorders, or disorders identified at screening/visit 1 (including identification on the first CT scan), other than COPD (e.g.: lung cancer, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, lung fibrosis, cystic fibrosis)
* Known history of significant inflammatory disease, other than COPD (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus)
* Known to be severely alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient (PI SZ or ZZ)
* Having undergone lung surgery (e.g. lung reduction, lung transplant)
* Have cancer or have had cancer in the 5 years prior to study entry
* Serious, uncontrolled disease (including serious psychological disorders) likely to interfere with the study or impact on subject safety
* Is enrolled in a long term blinded drug study (subjects in open label studies may be considered and subjects in short blinded studies (approx less than 12 weeks may be considered following consultation with sponsor) or a study where there is significant radiation exposure (e.g.: CT scans)
* Have, in the opinion of the investigator, evidence of alcohol, drug or solvent abuse
* Have received a blood transfusion in the 4 weeks prior to study start
* Has experienced a moderate or severe exacerbation (requiring oral corticosteroid, antibiotics or hospitalisation) within the last 4 weeks. All courses of oral corticosteroids and antibiotics must be completed at least 2 weeks before study start
* Is on long term oral corticosteroids (long term is considered use for more than 3 consecutive months)
* Unable to walk
* Subject is a participating investigator, sub-investigator, study co-ordinator, or employee of a participating investigator, or is an immediate family member of the aforementioned.

Control Subjects

* A control subject will not be eligible for inclusion in this study if any of the following criteria apply:
* Known respiratory disorders, or disorders identified at screening/visit 1 including identification on the first CT scan (e.g.: COPD, asthma, lung cancer, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, lung fibrosis)
* Known history of significant inflammatory disease (eg rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus)
* Known to be severely alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient (PI SZ or ZZ)
* Having undergone lung surgery (e.g. lung reduction, lung transplant)
* Have cancer or have had cancer in the 5 years prior to study entry
* Serious, uncontrolled disease (including serious psychological disorders) likely to interfere with the study
* Is enrolled in a long term blinded drug study (subjects in open label studies may be considered and subjects in short blinded studies (approx less than 12 weeks may be considered following consultation with sponsor) or a study where there is significant radiation exposure (e.g.: CT scans)
* Have, in the opinion of the investigator, evidence of alcohol, drug or solvent abuse.
* Have received a blood transfusion in the 4 weeks prior to study start
* Is on long term oral corticosteroids (long term is considered use for more than 3 consecutive months)
* Subject is a participating investigator, sub-investigator, study co-ordinator, or employee of a participating investigator, or is an immediate family member of the aforementioned.

Answer: A