Generic Name for Advair
The generic name for Advair is fluticasone propionate and salmeterol. 1
Product Composition
Advair is a fixed-dose combination inhaler containing two active pharmaceutical ingredients 1, 2:
- Fluticasone propionate: An inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) that reduces airway inflammation 1
- Salmeterol: A long-acting beta2-adrenoceptor agonist (LABA) that provides bronchodilation 1
Available Formulations
The combination is marketed under different brand names depending on geographic location 2, 3:
- Advair Diskus (United States): Dry powder inhaler formulation 2, 4
- Seretide Accuhaler (European Union): Equivalent dry powder inhaler 2
- Advair HFA: Metered-dose inhaler formulation using hydrofluoroalkane propellant 1, 3
Generic Equivalents
Wixela Inhub is the first and only FDA-approved substitutable generic version of Advair Diskus, containing the same active ingredients (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol) 4, 5. This generic product demonstrated bioequivalence to the brand-name product in clinical trials, with therapeutic effects in the lung that are equivalent to Advair Diskus 5. Real-world comparative effectiveness studies confirmed that Wixela Inhub and Advair Diskus have nearly identical clinical outcomes in patients with COPD, including similar rates of exacerbations (HR 0.97,95% CI 0.90-1.04) and pneumonia hospitalizations (HR 0.99,95% CI 0.86-1.15) 6.
Clinical Context
This combination therapy is approved for maintenance treatment of asthma and COPD 1, 4. The fixed-dose combination ensures appropriate use of a LABA with an ICS, which is critical because LABAs should never be used as monotherapy for asthma due to increased risk of severe exacerbations and deaths 7. In COPD, the 50/250 mcg twice-daily dosage is approved in the US for patients with chronic bronchitis, while the 50/500 mcg dosage is approved in the EU for severe COPD with repeat exacerbations 2.