Pharmaxis, Exton, Pa, now offers ARIDOL® (mannitol inhalation powder) Bronchial Challenge Test Kit commercially in the United States. ARIDOL is used to assess bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients 6 years of age and older who do not have clinically apparent asthma.
According to the company, ARIDOL is a single-use, indirect test that requires minimal preparation time and a 15% reduction in lung function from baseline for a positive test.
The ARIDOL test requires patients to inhale increasing doses of dry powder mannitol from a hand-held device, which causes airways to narrow and contract when airway inflammation is present. The doses are contained in capsules that are administered at one-minute intervals until a positive response is achieved or until all the capsules have been inhaled, indicating a negative result. A positive response is indicated when there is a 15% reduction in lung function from baseline compared to a 20% fall required by a methacholine challenge test. A positive ARIDOL test is complete in approximately 20 minutes.
ARIDOL was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration last October, and demonstrated safety and efficacy in two Phase III clinical trials.
Source: Pharmaxis
