What is Breo Ellipta?
Breo Ellipta is an inhaled medication made by combining fluticasone furoate (a steroid) and vilanterol (a bronchodilator). GlaxoSmithKline produces this drug and the FDA approved it for use in May 2013. Some of it’s side effects may raise the possibility of a future Breo Ellipta lawsuit, but currently no litigation exists.
What are the uses and side effects?
Physicians prescribe Breo for the treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The medication is a powder that patients inhale once a day. It reduces inflammation and opens airways, helping people with COPD to breathe more easily.
Common side effects of Breo include headaches, cold symptoms, upper respiratory infections, thrush or wheezing. If any of these side effects occur, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Because Breo opens airways, many people might think it could be used to treat asthma. However, this is NOT true. Vilanterol has actually been shown to cause death in people with asthma and therefore asthmatic patients should never take Breo.
I’m Kate and I have COPD but I don’t want my breathing problems to get in the way of my volunteering. That’s why I asked my doctor about BREO.
Once daily Breo Ellipta helps increase airflow from the lungs for a full 24 hours. And Breo helps reduce symptom flare-ups that last several days and require oral steriods, anitbiotics or hospital stay. Breo is not for asthma. It contains a type of medicine that increases risk of death in people with asthma. It is not known if this risk is increased with COPD. Breo won’t replace rescue inhalers for sudden onset of COPD symptoms and it should not be used more than once per day. Breo may increase your risk of pneumonia, thrush, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. Tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking Breo.
Ask your doctor about B R E O for COPD. First prescription free at myBreo.com
What about Breo Ellipta Class Action Lawsuits?
Currently there are no consumer lawsuits related to Breo usage. GlaxoSmithKline has made it very clear that Breo should not be used to treat asthma and that it is not known whether or not Vilanterol increases the risk of death in patients with COPD. That said, as with any medication the possibility of future lawsuits is unknown.
Breo Ellipta Intellectual Property Infringement Lawsuits: A significant lawsuit concerning intellectual property infringement occurred in 2020. In this case, Vectura Limited v. GlaxoSmithKline LLC, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a judgment entered against GlaxoSmithKline. The court found that GSK’s Ellipta-brand inhalers, including Breo Ellipta, infringed patent claims asserted by Vectura. GSK was ordered to pay nearly $90 million in damages based on a 3 percent royalty base of $2.99 billion in sales of GSK’s accused inhalers.
More information about Breo Ellipta
For more information about Breo, please check out these resources
- Official Website
- Drugs.com
- Medicinenet.com – Fluticasone Vilanterol