beclometasone dipropionate (EcoBec / Beclazone / Beclazone)

Beclomethasone Dipropionate Powder via Nasojejunal Tube as a Practical Treatment Option for a Child Unable to Swallow Enteric-Coated Capsules: A Case Report.

Yokokawa Yuichi Y, Okumura Shunichi S, Yuza Yuki Y

Development and evaluation of a microneedle-assisted transdermal delivery system for compound betamethasone in atopic dermatitis.

Wang Si-Ning SN, Qiao Xiaojing X, Du Fangzhi F, Chen Jing J et al.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by skin barrier dysfunctio​n and immune dysregulation, which may influence topical drug penetration and therapeutic efficacy. This study evaluated a microneedle-assisted approach to enhance the cutaneous delivery of compound betamethasone in AD. Franz diffusion cell experiments demonstrated 3.29-fold and 4.67-fold increases in the 24-h cumulative permeation of betamethasone dipropionate (BDP) and betamethasone sodium phosphate (BSP), respectively, compared with passive application. In vivo fluorescence imaging showed greater penetration depth of fluorescein sodium following microneedle treatment, while histological examination revealed transient epidermal disruption. In a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD mouse model, the combined treatment was associated with reduced epidermal thickening, mast cell accumulation, and serum IgE and IL-13 levels. In a pilot split-body clinical study involving 28 participants with mild-to-moderate AD, the microneedle + compound betamethasone-treated side showed greater improvements in Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) intensity and numeric rating scale (NRS) pruritus scores than the contralateral microneedle + saline control side after 7 days. No serious adverse events were observed during the study period. These findings demonstrate enhanced cutaneous permeation of compound betamethasone following microneedle-assisted application and provide preliminary evidence of therapeutic activity and short-term tolerability in AD.

Deciphering the Benefits and Risks of Single-Inhaler Triple Therapy in COPD.

Kopitovic Ivan I, Dimic-Janjic Sanja S, Stjepanovic Mihailo M, Hromis Sanja S et al.

Single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT) combines an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS; for example, fluticasone furoate, budesonide, or beclometasone dipropionate), a long-acting β2-agonist (LABA; for example, vilanterol or formoterol fumarate), and a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA; for example, umeclidinium or glycopyrronium bromide) in one device. Triple pharmacological therapy reduces exacerbations in selected patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its effects on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes remain uncertain. This structured narrative review summarizes randomized trials, observational comparative-effectiveness studies, target trial emulations, systematic reviews, and health technology assessments published between 2015 and 2026. We grouped the evidence by comparator: LABA/LAMA, ICS/LABA, multiple-inhaler triple therapy (MITT), and ICS continuation versus withdrawal, because each comparison addresses a different clinical question. Pivotal trials and evidence syntheses consistently showed fewer moderate-to-severe exacerbations with triple therapy, with reported rate ratios of approximately 0.69-0.93. Mortality signals from IMPACT and ETHOS are clinically important, but previous ICS use and ICS withdrawal among participants assigned to ICS-free comparators make these findings difficult to interpret. Observational cardiovascular findings are also uncertain because residual confounding, treatment selection, exposure misclassification, outcome misclassification, and differences in baseline disease severity limit causal interpretation. Compared with MITT, the main advantages of SITT are simpler treatment and possible improvements in adherence and persistence, not greater pharmacological potency. Treatment decisions should consider exacerbation history, repeated blood eosinophil counts, pneumonia risk, cardiovascular disease, previous ICS exposure and response, inhaler technique, device suitability, and patient preference. Trials in patients with documented absence of previous ICS use and well-designed target trial emulations are needed to determine whether the observed mortality and cardiovascular associations are causal.

Genomic characterization and vaccine potential of a naturally attenuated infectious laryngotracheitis virus from healthy chickens.

Xu Minghe M, Tian Jingge J, Yang Panpan P, Cong Yanfang Y et al.

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an acute, highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens caused by infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV), which continues to pose significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Current live attenuated vaccines, while effective, carry risks of residual virulence, reversion to pathogenicity, and latent infection establishment. There is an urgent need to develop safer and more effective vaccine candidates. In this study, an ILTV strain, designated CH/HN/2022, was isolated from clinically healthy layers during routine diagnostic monitoring in Henan Province, China. The flock had no history of ILT vaccination and showed no clinical signs of ILT at the time of sampling. The complete genome of CH/HN/2022 was sequenced, comprising 152,218 bp with 48% G+C content and 79 predicted open reading frames. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that CH/HN/2022 clustered with US virulent strains 81658 and USDA and TCO vaccine strain LT-IVAX (Clade II) and shared 98.8% nucleotide identity with strain 81658, but only 95.8-96.5% identity with 15 previously reported Chinese isolates. Notably, CH/HN/2022 possessed a ∼3,340 bp deletion in the UL region and an 855 bp insertion in the terminal and internal repeat regions compared to Chinese virulent strains. Comparative analysis with virulent strain WG identified significant amino acid differences in gD, gJ, and ORF C proteins. The CH/HN/2022 could efficiently replicate in LMH cells. Pathogenicity assessment in 4-week-old SPF chickens demonstrated that CH/HN/2022 induced no mortality and only mild, transient respiratory signs in 10% of birds inoculated via the intratracheal route, with no detectable transmission to contact birds under the conditions tested. Vaccination with a single dose of CH/HN/2022 via eye drop provided complete protection against lethal challenge with virulent WG strain. These findings indicate that CH/HN/2022 is a naturally attenuated ILTV strain with unique genomic features and an attenuated phenotype and promising protective efficacy under the conditions tested, representing a promising candidate for live attenuated vaccine development.