A Multi-center, Randomized, Double-blind, 52-week Study to Assess the Safety of NVA237 Compared to QAB149 in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Who Have Moderate to Severe Airflow Limitation

Study start date: October 1, 2012

Inclusion Criteria: Male or female patients with COPD according to GOLD 2011 who have signed informed consent. Patients with airflow limitation of 30-80% post-bronchodilator FEV1 at run-in. Current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of at least 10 pack years Patients with a mMRC score of at least 2 at run-in. Exclusion Criteria: Patients contraindicated for muscarinic antagonist agents and beta-2 agonists Patients with a history of malignancy of any organ system, treated or untreated, within the last five years Patients with narrow-angle glaucoma, BPH or bladder-neck obstruction or moderate-severe renal impairment or urinary retention Patients who had a COPD exacerbation within 6 weeks prior to screening. Patients requiring long term oxygen therapy prescribed for more than 12 hr per day. Patients with a history of asthma. Patients with an onset of respiratory symptoms, including COPD diagnosis, prior to 40 years of age. Patients with a blood eosinophil count of greater than 600 mm/3 during run-in Patients with concomitant pulmonary disease Patients with a history of certain cardiovascular co-morbid conditions Patients with a diagnosis of alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency Patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis Patients in the active phase of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme Other protocol-defined inclusion / exclusion criteria may apply