In two studies of patients with moderate to severe COPD, patients receiving the once-daily combination of umeclidinium and vilanterol (Anoro Ellipta, GlaxoSmithKline) scored higher on lung function tests than those receiving the twice-daily combination of fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair Diskus, GlaxoSmithKline).
The once-daily combination consists of a long-acting muscarinic antagonist and a long-acting inhaled beta-2 agonist, and is the only such combination currently available in the United States.
