In sputum neutrophils from COPD patients, the maximal % inhibition of LAS194046 was 57.27 ± 10.13% and 74.34 ± 3.09 for IL-8 and MMP9 release, significantly higher than maximal % inhibition of fluticasone propionate which reached 40.12 ± 10.30% and 42.14 ± 9.23% inhibition for IL-8 and MMP9 respectively (Fig. 2, Supplementary File 1: Table S3). This evidence concerns the gene MMP9 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.