Key takeaways
Incruse Ellipta is a dry powder inhaled medication used for the long-term maintenance treatment of COPD.
Incruse Ellipta alternatives include Spiriva Respimat, Anoro Ellipta, Trelegy Ellipta, Breo Ellipta, and theophylline ER, among others.
The choice of an alternative may depend on the severity of symptoms, the presence of allergies, the ease of use of the inhaler device, and specific patient health conditions, so ask the prescriber for medical advice.
Incruse Ellipta is a brand-name, dry powder inhaled medication prescribed as a long-term maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Incruse Ellipta helps to lessen the frequency and severity of COPD exacerbations. Cost, effectiveness, disease progression, side effects, and difficulty with the Ellipta inhaler device are all reasons to consider an Incruse alternative. We will review your other options here.
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What can I take instead of Incruse Ellipta?
Compare Incruse Ellipta alternatives |
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| Drug name | Price without insurance | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Incruse Ellipta (umeclidinium) | $400 for 1, 62.5 mcg inhaler with 30 blisters for a 1-month supply | $255 for 30 blisters of breath-activated aerosol powder of brand-name Incruse Ellipta at CVS Pharmacy | See latest prices |
| Spiriva Respimat (tiotropium bromide) | $100 for 1, 4 gm of 2.5 mcg/act inhaler for a 1-month supply | $62 for 1, 4 gm of 2.5 mcg/act inhaler of brand-name Spiriva at Kroger | See latest prices |
| Anoro Ellipta (umeclidinium-vilanterol) | $500 for 1, 62.5 mcg/25 mcg inhaler with 60 blisters for a 1-month supply | $343 for 60 blisters of breath-activated aerosol powder of generic Anoro Ellipta at CVS Pharmacy | See latest prices |
| Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone-umeclidinium-vilanterol) | $950 for 1 inhaler with 60 blisters for a 1-month supply | $554 for 1, 60 blisters inhaler of brand-name Trelegy Ellipta at Kroger | See latest prices |
| Breo Ellipta (fluticasone-vilanterol) | $549 for 1 inhaler with 60 blisters for a 1-month supply | $274 for 60 blisters of breath-activated aerosol powder of generic Breo Ellipta at CVS Pharmacy | See latest prices |
| Theophylline ER | $65 for 30, 400 mg tablets for a 1-month supply | $25 for 30, 400 mg tablets of generic theophylline ER at CVS Pharmacy | See latest prices |
Top 5 Incruse Ellipta alternatives
1. Spiriva Respimat
Short-acting bronchodilator inhalers are the first-line medication for addressing COPD. They can provide quick relief from symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath. If symptoms are infrequent, you may only need a short-acting beta agonist like albuterol HFA, a short-acting muscarinic antagonist like Atrovent HFA, or a combination of the two, such as Combivent Respimat.
On the other hand, more frequent symptoms may get your healthcare provider to advise a maintenance medication to prevent symptoms and flare-ups. A long-acting bronchodilating agent, such as long-acting muscarinic antagonists (referred to as LAMAs or anticholinergics) or long-acting beta agonists (LABAs), would meet the need for sustained opening of the bronchial tubes in the lungs.
Incruse Ellipta, Spiriva Handihaler, and Tudorza Pressair are all LAMAs that use a dry powder inhaler mechanism. Dry powder inhalers require a single quick inhalation to deliver the medicated powder to the lungs. Spiriva Respimat may be a good alternative to consider if the mechanism of Incruse Ellipta is a concern. As a soft-mist inhaler, Spiriva Respimat is often easier to use for patients who cannot inhale deeply or forcefully enough for a dry powder inhaler. In addition, it may be a better option if you have a severe milk protein allergy, which is a contraindication to Incruse Ellipta and other dry powder inhalers since they use lactose in the powder mixture.
2. Anoro Ellipta
If you are experiencing worsening symptoms or exacerbations despite use of Incruse Ellipta, Anoro Ellipta may be a good alternative to consider. Inhalers that combine two types of COPD medication are often used in these situations. Coupling a LAMA with a LABA produces a dual mechanism for bronchodilation. Anoro Ellipta is a combination LAMA-LABA dry powder inhaler and has the same manufacturer (GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK) and design as Incruse Ellipta inhalers. Stiolto and Duaklir are LAMA-LABA combinations too. Due to their LABA content, Anoro Ellipta and other LAMA-LABA products can affect blood pressure and heart rate, so they carry strong warnings about cardiovascular effects. Incruse Ellipta (a LAMA only) only rarely causes issues like fast heart rates and flutters.
3. Trelegy Ellipta
Bronchodilators alone may not provide optimal relief. Adding an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) to LAMA, LABA, or LAMA-LABA therapy may do more thanks to the steroid’s anti-inflammatory effect. This is helpful for the airways in COPD, which are typically inflamed and swollen. All three drug types, LAMA, LABA, and ICS, are available in one once-daily dry powder inhaler, Trelegy Ellipta.
Having three mechanisms of action has both advantages and disadvantages. Trelegy Ellipta has the potential for a wider range of side effects because it contains three different medicines. ICS-containing inhalers, by suppressing airway immunity, pose a risk of thrush (a fungal infection in the mouth and throat) and may increase the risk of pneumonia. In addition, more drug interactions need to be avoided with a three-component product. Despite these cautionary notes, Trelegy Ellipta may be a good option if Incruse Ellipta has not adequately controlled COPD exacerbations. It would not be difficult to switch; both inhalers look the same and have the same basic instructions.
4. Breo Ellipta
An allergy to the drug class or a problem related to urinary adverse effects or narrow-angle glaucoma may preclude LAMA use. Others may find LABAs more effective. If you find yourself in one of these scenarios, Breo Ellipta could be a worthy alternative to Incruse Ellipta. Breo Ellipta contains the steroid fluticasone furoate combined with a LABA, vilanterol, to provide two mechanisms for relief of COPD symptoms and prevention of exacerbations. Constructed similarly to GSK’s other Ellipta products, Breo Ellipta is a once daily dry powder inhaler.
If these types of inhalers are challenging for you to use, Symbicort is another LABA-ICS combination. It has a traditional inhaler format, similar to short-acting bronchodilators such as albuterol HFA and Ventolin HFA. If you are familiar with one of these, you may find Symbicort easier to use than a dry powder inhaler. It requires twice daily dosing, making it less convenient than Incruse Ellipta and Breo Ellipta. On a side note, Symbicort’s formoterol component acts quickly, so you may notice it provides both quick relief and long-lasting benefit.
5. Theophylline ER
Maximum inhaler therapy is not always fully effective, and it may be intolerable due to common side effects. If so, you may be wondering if there are oral options to add in or substitute. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors enter the discussion at these points. These agents reduce airway inflammation. Taken once daily as a pill, Daliresp (roflumilast) is a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor that improves airflow and reduces COPD exacerbations. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only for severe COPD.
Theophylline ER is also a once-daily pill that inhibits phosphodiesterase and is approved for general COPD maintenance therapy. Unlike Daliresp, it is a nonselective inhibitor of several phosphodiesterase enzymes rather than a specific type such as PDE4. Herein lies a problem with theophylline, since PDE enzymes are found in tissues across the body, it can have a variety of desired and undesired effects. This also gives it a very narrow therapeutic window, meaning there is a fine line between the beneficial airway-opening effects of theophylline and its adverse effects, such as headache, nausea, and diarrhea. Monitoring theophylline blood levels is commonly recommended to help prevent side effects from excessive dosing. Extensive drug interactions and liver metabolism are two other characteristics of theophylline that limit its use.
Natural alternatives to Incruse Ellipta
Prescription medications offer plenty of potential benefits, but it is not wrong to wonder about other ways to treat COPD. Quitting smoking could be incredibly advantageous. Doing so can slow down the deterioration in lung function compared to continuing to smoke. It is not easy to do, so you may want to ask about options like varenicline, Nicoderm CQ, and bupropion SR to help improve your likelihood of successful smoking cessation.
Pulmonary rehabilitation can improve your quality of life and exercise capacity. Through specialized exercise therapy and education about lung disease, the series of rehab sessions can put you on the right track to feeling better. After completing the course, you will probably want to continue exercising to build on what you have gained.
Weight management may be worthwhile, too. Weight loss could prove helpful if you are overweight. Advice on optimizing calorie and protein intake may be in order if you are losing weight with COPD. Either of these issues deserves a consultation with your healthcare professional for medical advice and evaluation.
Specific nutrients and dietary patterns may be important. Low levels of vitamin D, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and selenium have been associated with an increased risk of COPD. Unfortunately, clinical trials to date are inconclusive about whether there is a benefit to supplementing them in patients with COPD. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and oily fish might be beneficial for preventing or treating COPD.
How to switch to an Incruse Ellipta alternative
For many reasons, Incruse Ellipta may still be the right choice for maintenance therapy of your COPD. If side effects or allergic reactions occur, you now know that you have other options. Step one is to speak with your healthcare provider to discuss the matter. Together, you can decide whether it is best to move on from Incruse Ellipta and, if so, which alternative to use. If cost is a concern, you can use your SingleCare prescription savings card at your local pharmacy to save up to 80% off your prescription. SingleCare is free to use and available to everyone. Registered members can save even more, and it’s fast and free to join.
The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Aug. 6, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy. Visit our coupon page for updated drug prices at pharmacies near you.
- A review of the development of Respimat Soft Mist Inhaler, International Journal of Pharmaceutics (2004)
- Roflumilast in symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: two randomised clinical trials, Lancet (2009)
- Smoking and lung function of Lung Health Study participants after 11 years, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2002)
- Pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2015)
- Integrative medicine for respiratory conditions: asthma and COPD, Medical Clinics of North America (2017)
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