This study, a new immunomodulatory therapy of COPD with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
was evaluated. Based on preliminary unpublished clinical and experimental results, the course
of disease under VIP treatment and the molecular mechanisms involved were assessed.
34 patients with severe COPD were treated either with VIP inhalation in addition to
conventional therapy or inhalation of placebo plus conventional therapy for a period of 3
months. The trial was conducted as a double blind, comparative study with two parallel
groups.