formoterol vs indacaterol
Side-by-side comparison of formoterol and indacaterol Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Foradil, Perforomist
Arcapta Neohaler
Formoterol is a medicine that helps open your airways. It is used to make breathing easier for people with COPD.
UTIBRON NEOHALER is a medicine that helps people with COPD breathe easier. It contains two medicines that work together to open up your airways.
Formoterol inhalation solution is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. This medicine helps to lessen the tightening of your airways, making it easier to breathe. It is for long-term use and should be taken twice a day.
UTIBRON NEOHALER is used long-term to treat airflow blockage caused by COPD. COPD is a chronic lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open your airways so you can breathe easier. It is not for sudden breathing problems.
Formoterol is a long-acting beta-2 agonist (LABA). It works by relaxing the muscles around your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
UTIBRON NEOHALER has two medicines. Indacaterol opens airways by relaxing airway muscles. Glycopyrrolate reduces airway tightening. Together, they help you breathe easier.
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Runny nose
- • Dry mouth
- • Vomiting
- • Common cold symptoms (nasopharyngitis)
- • High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Difficulty breathing 1,076
- Asthma 1,032
- Cough 604
- Wheezing 543
- Pneumonia 416
No adverse event reports.
If you have asthma, you should not take formoterol without also using an inhaled corticosteroid medicine. Using formoterol alone for asthma can increase the risk of serious asthma problems, including death. Do not use formoterol to treat sudden breathing problems. Always have a rescue inhaler with you to treat sudden symptoms.
LABA medicines like UTIBRON NEOHALER can raise the risk of asthma-related death. Because of this risk, you should not take this medication if you have asthma. Do not use UTIBRON NEOHALER to treat sudden COPD symptoms. Do not use with other LABA medicines.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if formoterol will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using formoterol during pregnancy. It is also not known if formoterol passes into breast milk.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if UTIBRON NEOHALER will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medicine while pregnant.
Also Compare — Nearby Drugs
Compare formoterol with
Compare indacaterol with
How to Read This formoterol vs indacaterol Comparison
formoterol is classified in the Long-Acting Beta-2 Agonist (LABA) drug class, while indacaterol sits within the Long-Acting Beta-2 Agonist (LABA) class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, formoterol has 3,671 submissions while indacaterol has 0. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between formoterol and indacaterol — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.