WASHINGTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - An federal advisory panelhas recommended that the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationapprove a drug made by GlaxoSmithKline Plc andTheravance Inc to treat chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease.
The panel voted 11-2 to approve the drug, Anoro, an inhaledcombination of vilanterol, a long-acting beta-agonist that isdesigned to open the airways, and umeclidinium, a long-actingmuscarinic receptor antagonist, which works to improve lungfunction.
The FDA is not required to follow the advice of its advisorypanels but typically does so.
Analysts expect the drug to generate sales of more than $2billion a year by 2018 according to the average estimate of sixanalysts polled by Thomson Reuters.
A decision is expected by Dec. 18. (Reporting by Toni Clarke in Washington; Editing by CarolBishopric)
Glaxosmithkline (GSK)