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formoterol (Forair / Atimos / CHF 1531)

✓ Approved

Novartis AG · ADRB2 · Small Molecule

What is formoterol?

formoterol is a small molecule developed by Novartis AG. It is approved for therapeutic indications via inhaled or topical.

Drug Profile

Brand NamesForair, Atimos, CHF 1531
CompanyNovartis AG
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetADRB2
RouteInhaled, Topical
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Novartis AG

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

formoterol acts on 1 molecular target:

ADRB2adrenoceptor beta 2 (B2AR, ARB2)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

formoterol is developed for 2 unique indications across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disordersAsthma✓ Approved
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disordersChronic obstructive pulmonary disease✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedJournal of asthma and allergy2026-08-29

Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Treatment Response of Asthma in Chinese Children.

Zhu Lili L, Jiang Xinyi X, Li Changchang C, Zhu Tingting T et al.

To investigate the potential associations between therapeutically relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with clinical characteristics and medication response of asthma in Chinese children. This prospective observational study was conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from August 2021 to July 2022. Patients diagnosed with asthma and age-matched healthy individuals were recruited. Genotyping of 55 SNPs was performed using the Sequenom Mass Array platform. Both the association of 55 SNPs with clinical characteristics of asthma and the efficacy of budesonide/formoterol were analyzed. A total of 412 asthma patients and 262 age-matched healthy were recruited. The Minor Allele Frequency of SNPs differs markedly from that observed in European, American, and African populations but closely in the Asian populations. Comparing genotype and allele frequencies revealed that ORMDL3-rs2872507 (AA) and ZNF432-rs3752120 (TT) were significantly more frequent in the asthma group than in the control group. ZNF432-rs3752120 and ORMDL3-rs2872507 were further analyzed, stratified by clinical features and laboratory indicators. Atopy was significantly more common in ZNF432-rs3752120 TT genotype carriers compared to CC and CT genotypes. Additionally, the demand for inhalation device use was higher in CT carriers compared to those with CC and TT genotypes. However, no significant differences in asthma clinical characteristics were observed among ORMDL3-rs2872507 genotypes. Besides, eight SNPs were confirmed to be associated with the response of inhaling Budesonide/Formoterol dry powder 80/4.5. This study revealed that the ORMDL3-rs2872507 AA genotype and the ZNF432-rs3752120 TT genotype might be susceptible genotypes in Chinese children with asthma. rs1042713, rs2305089, rs2540487, rs2712807, rs28364072, rs320995, rs4980524, and rs730012 were identified as potentially associated with the efficacy of Budesonide/Formoterol (80/4.5) inhalation therapy in a cohort of children with asthma from southern Zhejiang, China.

PMID 42666756
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PubMedNeuropsychologia2026-08-28

Approximate number system processing in school-age children with high-functioning autism: Behavioral and neural evidence from an event-related potential study.

Chen Lilan L, Jiang Wenyuan W

The approximate number system (ANS) is foundational for mathematical development, but its characteristics and neural mechanisms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain unclear. While mathematical difficulties are common in ASD, whether nonsymbolic numerosity processing deficits contribute and how perceptual factors modulate such processing require investigation. This study evaluated the Weak Central Coherence (WCC) and Executive Dysfunction (EDF) accounts of autism by examining whether perceptual grouping (connectedness) differentially affects ANS processing in children with high-functioning autism (HFA) compared to typically developing (TD) peers. Twenty-nine school-age children (14 HFA, 15 TD), matched on age, IQ, and working memory, completed a dot array comparison task during EEG recording. Numerical ratio and perceptual grouping (connectedness) were manipulated to examine effects on behavioral accuracy and ERP components (N1, P2, P3). This manipulation was designed to evaluate competing theoretical accounts of autism-WCC and EDF-by testing whether perceptual grouping cues differentially modulate ANS processing in HFA versus TD children. Behaviorally, HFA children showed lower accuracy than TD children, and accuracy was strongly affected by numerical ratio and connectedness. The complementary grouped binomial GLMM additionally indicated a Group × Ratio interaction, with the between-group difference concentrated in the low-ratio (i.e., greater numerical separation and easier discrimination) condition. Neurally, HFA children exhibited enhanced frontal P2 amplitudes specifically during core numerical processing (without connecting lines), suggesting atypical attentional or cognitive control engagement during numerosity estimation. Perceptual grouping modulated early attentional allocation (N1 amplitudes) similarly across groups. Children with HFA demonstrate impaired behavioral ANS acuity and atypical neural recruitment during nonsymbolic numerosity processing. These findings indicate ANS processing is affected in HFA at both behavioral and neural levels, though not differentially modulated by perceptual grouping. The absence of a significant Group × Connectedness interaction argues against the WCC account. Rather, the overall pattern of reduced ANS accuracy and enhanced P2 responses in HFA is more consistent with an EDF framework, indicating greater neural recruitment during ANS processing. The results provide evidence for inefficient neural processing underlying numerical difficulties in autistic children, with implications for understanding mathematical learning in this population.

PMID 42664657
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PubMedPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)2026-08-27

Effects of Treatment with Citicoline Plus Nicotinamide Oral Solution on Retinal Ganglion Cells and Visual Pathways in Glaucomatous Impairment.

Parisi Vincenzo V, Romano Dario D, Aminoleslami Amir Ali AA, Ziccardi Lucia L et al.

Objectives: To evaluate the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function and neural conduction along the visual pathways after treatment with Citicoline plus Nicotinamide oral solution in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG). Methods: Thirty OAG patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 62.588 ± 6.022 years, IOP < 18 mmHg with medical therapy) were enrolled. Of these, 20 OAG patients (providing 20 eyes) were treated with Citicoline plus Nicotinamide oral solution (Kron®, Omikron Italia) (Citicoline plus Nicotinamide group), and 10 OAG patients (providing 10 eyes) were treated with an oral placebo (Placebo group). In all participants, Humphrey 24-2 visual field (HFA 24-2), pattern electroretinogram (PERG), visual evoked potentials (VEP) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL-T) were assessed at baseline and at the end of the 3-month period of treatment. Results: PERG and VEP data obtained from 28 patients were included in the final analysis, while all the patients were included in the visual field and RNFL-T analyses. At baseline, both groups showed HFA 24-2 mean deviation (MD), PERG, VEP and RNFL-T values not statistically (ANOVA, p > 0.05) different. After 3 months of Citicoline plus Nicotinamide oral solution treatment, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in PERG P50-N95 and VEP N75-P100 amplitudes, and a significant (p < 0.05) shortening of VEP P100 implicit times were found. The shortening of VEP P100 implicit times was not significantly correlated (p > 0.01) with the increase in PERG P50-N95 amplitude. Conversely, in the Placebo group, no significant changes in PERG and VEP values were found. The HFA MD and RNFL-T changes were not significantly different (p > 0.05) between groups. Conclusions: In OAG patients, treatment with Citicoline plus Nicotinamide oral solution for three months induces RGC functional enhancement (increase in PERG amplitude) and improves the neural conduction along the visual pathways (shortening of VEP implicit time and increased amplitude), without significant changes in visual field or RNFL-T.

PMID 42653676
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PubMedAnatolian journal of cardiology2026-08-27

The BREATH2 Score as an Independent Predictor of 1-Year Mortality in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Yalvaç Halit Emre HE, Babayiğit Ezgi Çamlı EÇ, Dağhan Hazal H

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous syndrome with substantial early morbidity and mortality. The BREATH2 score was recently developed as an echocardiography-independent screening tool for HFpEF. However, its prognostic significance has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the BREATH2 score and 1-year all-cause mortality in patients with established HFpEF. A total of 213 patients with HFpEF were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint was 1-year all-cause mortality. Discriminative performance of the BREATH2, H2FPEF, and HFA-PEFF scores was assessed using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted using a prespecified BREATH2 cut-off (≥6). During 12-month follow-up, 32 patients (15.0%) died. The BREATH2 score was significantly higher among non-survivors (P = .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that BREATH2 had the highest discriminative ability for 1-year mortality (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.683, P < .001, 95% CI: 0.616-0.745), outperforming H2FPEF (AUC = 0.554, P = .324) and HFA-PEFF (AUC = 0.593, P < .001). In multiple analyses adjusting for age, creatinine, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, BREATH2 remained independently associated with mortality (odds ratio = 1.658 per 1-point increase, P = .021, 95% CI: 1.078-2.551). Patients with BREATH2 ≥6 had significantly lower survival compared with those with lower scores(log-rank, P = .013). The BREATH2 score independently predicts 1-year mortality in patients with HFpEF. Beyond its diagnostic role, BREATH2 may serve as a practical early risk stratification tool at initial clinical presentation.

PMID 42656080
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PubMedEuropean journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences2026-08-25

Understanding and Controlling the Sources of Variability in pMDI Plume Temperature Measurements.

Brini Riccardo R, Hopkins Leah-Jane LJ, Copelli Diego D, Poole Sara S

Thermocouple-based measurements of pMDI plume temperature are used as in‑vitro descriptors relevant to patient-perceived cooling and device development; however, reproducibility can be compromised by uncontrolled ambient conditions. This study investigated major sources of variability in minimum plume temperature (Tmin) measurements by enclosing a custom plume temperature tester within an environmental chamber (ClimateZone). Plume temperatures were recorded using four centreline Type‑K thermocouples positioned at 25, 50, 75 and 100mm downstream of the actuator under a fixed sampling flow (28.3L/min). Three pMDIs (two commercial products and an HFA‑134a/ethanol placebo) were tested across a staged temperature-humidity matrix, with three replicates of six actuations per condition. A regression model quantified contributions of product, ambient temperature, RH and probe distance. Ambient temperature and probe distance were the dominant drivers of variation in Tmin, with RH exerting a secondary effect. At 25mm, increasing ambient temperature from 19°C to 40°C increased Tmin from ∼2°C to ∼15°C at 25%RH and from ∼3°C to ∼24°C at 70%RH. Increasing distance shifted Tmin upward, consistent with progressive mixing and thermal recovery. Under uncontrolled laboratory conditions, inter‑day variability exceeded intra‑day variability by ∼2-3 × at 25mm (IQR 1.518°C vs 0.488-0.716°C), motivating explicit environmental control. These findings demonstrate that plume temperature is a configuration‑dependent metrology endpoint that is confounded by ambient conditions; therefore, defined and reported environmental control is required for robust inter‑day and comparative plume temperature assessment. Model-based extrapolation to 37°C/100%RH is provided as hypothesis‑generating context and should not be interpreted as validated physiological prediction.

PMID 42641823
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PubMedInternational ophthalmology2026-08-24

Future visual field prediction in glaucoma: an application of first-order autoregressive approach.

Naderi Soheila S, Arman Ali A, Shahparast Sina S, Vermeer Koenraad A KA et al.

To compare first-order autoregressive (AR(1)), ordinary linear regression (OLR), exponential, and polynomial regression models in predicting pointwise visual field (VF) and Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) global indices in glaucoma across disease severity levels. Data from a cohort at the Rotterdam Eye Hospital were investigated, including 277 eyes from 139 subjects. Eyes were classified as having mild, moderate, or advanced glaucoma. Threshold sensitivity and Humphrey Field Analyzer Mean Deviation (HFA-MD) were predicted at the sixth visit using the first five VF examinations. OLR, AR(1), exponential, and polynomial regression models were fitted separately for each eye and VF location. Prediction accuracy was assessed using root mean squared error (RMSE) and pointwise mean absolute error (PMAE) and compared among the models by the mixed-effects model. A total of 261 eyes from 131 subjects were analyzed. AR(1) demonstrated the lowest pointwise prediction errors in most severity groups. Compared with OLR, AR(1) showed lower PMAE in mild (2.57 vs. 2.75 dB, p = 0.015) and moderate glaucoma (3.24 vs. 3.59 dB, p < 0.001). In advanced glaucoma, AR(1) achieved significantly lower RMSE and PMAE than OLR, exponential, and polynomial models (all p < 0.001). For HFA-MD prediction, no significant differences were observed among AR(1), OLR, and exponential models, whereas polynomial regression consistently showed higher errors. AR(1) provides superior pointwise prediction accuracy, particularly in advanced glaucoma, while HFA-MD predictions are generally comparable among AR(1), OLR, and exponential approaches. These findings support AR(1) as an effective tool in predicting future VF for glaucoma subjects.

PMID 42635842
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