Symptoms and Functions in Patients With COPD and Chronic Bronchitis Switching From CIG to THS

Launched by PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS S.A. · Jul 31, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who also have chronic bronchitis and have been smoking cigarettes for many years. The goal is to see if switching from regular cigarettes to a tobacco heating system (THS) can help improve their breathing symptoms, like coughing and shortness of breath, and their ability to function, such as lung performance and walking distance. The study compares those who switch to THS with those who continue smoking cigarettes to understand if there is a real benefit in how patients feel and function.

Adults aged 40 and older who have been smoking at least 10 cigarettes a day for at least a year and have confirmed COPD with chronic bronchitis may be eligible to join. Participants need to have a certain level of coughing during the day and meet other health criteria. Throughout the study, participants will be randomly assigned to either switch to THS or keep smoking cigarettes, and their symptoms and lung function will be closely monitored. It’s important to know that those who want to quit smoking completely are not eligible, as the study focuses on those who prefer to continue smoking but are open to switching products. The study aims to provide clear information on whether switching to THS can help people with COPD breathe better and feel better in their daily lives.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adult, both sexes, aged ≥ 40 years.
• • Patient has read, understood, and signed the written informed consent form (ICF), which has received IEC or IRB approval.
• • Patient with body mass index (BMI) 17.6-40.0 kg/m2 and body weight \> 50 kg (male) or \> 40 kg (female). Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Patient has a CIG smoking history ≥ 10 years.
• • Patient has been smoking ≥ 10 commercially available and/or roll-your-own CIG/day on average (no brand restriction) for at least the last year (based on self-reporting). Smoking status will be verified by Urine cotinine test (UCOT) ≥200 ng/mL. Intermittent CIG smoking abstinence, with or without Smoking Cessation Treatment during these attempts, not exceeding 10 days total within the past year will be allowed. Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Patient has been advised to quit smoking, informed of smoking risks and of cessation programs as per SoC at V2, and is not willing to quit CIG use for the study duration. Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Patient agrees to be randomized into one of the two study arms. Checked at V2.
• • Patient with confirmed COPD via spirometry (FEV1/FVC \< 70%, postbronchodilator (-BD)) with presence of chronic bronchitis (cough and mucus most of the days for \> three months a year for the previous two years in a row) and COPD severity classified by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Diseases (GOLD) as GOLD 2 or 3 (30% ≤ FEV1 \< 80% predicted, -BD).
• • Patient has cough frequency of ≥ 10 cough/hour during daytime from objective count sensor applied at V1, used to verify eligibility at V2.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patient who self-report concomitant daily use of inhaled cannabis or any type of nicotine containing products other than CIG within the last year.
• • Patient with COPD (moderate or severe) exacerbation that has not resolved according to the GOLD standard (e.g., requirement of additional therapy) or investigator's discretion. Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Patient with currently active cancer or history of any cancer within the last 5 years prior to V1, except for those with basal cell carcinoma of the skin.
• • Patient with acute worsening symptoms of chronic bronchitis or other active respiratory or systemic infections that have not resolved. Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Patient with medical condition(s) that would jeopardize his(her) safety in the context of this study (e.g., safety laboratory parameters, abnormal ECG) or with a condition that would jeopardize study results (e.g., gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heart failure, severe chronic lung emphysema, active symptomatic hay fever), as per Investigator's discretion. Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Patient is legally incompetent, physically, and/or mentally incapable of giving consent (e.g., emergency situation, under guardianship, in a social or sanitary establishment, prisoner or involuntarily incarcerated, unable to read).
• • Patient with a history of asthma.
• • Employee of the investigational site or any other party involved in the study, or their first-degree relatives (parent, child, spouse).
• • Current or former employee of the tobacco or e-cigarette industry or their 1st-degree relatives.
• • Patient with active or history of alcohol and/or drug abuse within the past year.
• • Patient with positive serological tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1/2, hepatitis B or C (Hep B/C).
• • Patient with any concomitant issues (e.g., medical, psychiatric, and/or social reason) that, as per Investigator's discretion, would place the study patient at an unacceptable risk for participation in the study.
• • Patient who participated in any trial (for investigational medicine, or other type of intervention) that may have interfered with COPD disease progression and symptoms (including cough and dyspnea) within the last three months as per investigator's discretion.
• • Patient using any systemic (injectable or oral) corticosteroids (acute or chronic treatments) or oxygen therapy in the last 2 months excluding short term use for a COPD exacerbation.
• • Patient currently being treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or opioids, or those who have used ACE inhibitors within 4 weeks or opioids within 1 week prior to screening. Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Patient treated with biologic therapies for COPD (e.g., Dupilumab) in the last 6 months.
• • Female patient is pregnant, breastfeeding or lactating, or anticipating becoming pregnant withing the duration of the study. Checked at V1 and V2.
• • Female of childbearing potential who is capable of getting pregnant, defined as a female patient who does not agree to use an acceptable method of effective contraception during the entire study, a female patient that is not surgically sterilized (e.g., hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, or tubal ligation) for at least 6 months or postmenopausal (postmenopausal females must have no menstrual bleeding for at least 1 year). Checked at V1 and V2.