With asthma, control is everything. Gaining control of this chronic disease keeps airway inflammation at bay, and prevents sometimes dangerous asthma flare-ups, with symptoms including shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing.
Among the 28 million Americans with asthma, an essential tool for good asthma management is daily controller (or preventer) medication. And in 2026, there's good news on the controller device front. Asthma patients and their doctors can again consider a popular metered-dose inhaler – but now it's available as an accessible generic.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals has launched its beclomethasone dipropionate HFA inhalation aerosol device across the United States. This controller inhaler is the equivalent of the Teva Group's discontinued QVAR®. (The Federal Register determined that the product was not discontinued or withdrawn for safety or efficacy reasons. Teva stopped its production back in 2018, as it introduced the QVAR RediHaler®.)
Like the popular original branded product, Amneal's FDA-approved generic beclomethasone dipropionate is delivered by the hand-breath method. Often while using a spacer, the patient (or parent) simply depresses the cannister within the boot-shaped plastic actuator to breathe in one dose of medicine.
With branded beclomethasone dipropionate off the market, Amneal sees its new generic filling a potential gap in patient choice. Its controller inhaler, in two strengths, is approved for asthma patients ages 5 through adulthood.
This new generic inhaler also marks the entrance of Amneal, a global leader in generics and specialty therapeutics, into the field of complex respiratory therapies. Dr. Srinivas Kone, Amneal's Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Affordable Medicines, calls the company's first metered-dose inhalation product "a landmark achievement".
“This milestone reflects years of dedicated work at our state-of-the-art respiratory facility and marks the beginning of an important new therapeutic category for Amneal," Dr. Kone says.
Q&A for Patients on the Beclomethasone Inhaler
To learn more about beclomethasone dipropionate HFA and its availability to U.S. asthma patients, Allergic Living interviews Tony Rosa, Amneal's Senior Vice President of Retail Generics.
What should patients/parents know about this new controller inhaler?
Tony Rosa: Our beclomethasone dipropionate product contains the same active ingredient, provides the same therapeutic effect, and is offered in the same dosage strengths as Teva’s QVAR®.
The patient uses our inhaler twice a day for the ongoing treatment of asthma and it's used in the ongoing treatment of asthma as preventative therapy for patients 5 years of age or older. It is a controller – it does not relieve sudden asthma symptoms.
What are the advantages of the beclomethasone dipropionate inhaler?
TR: First, it's a hand-breath actuator device, using the traditional 'press and breathe' delivery method. Patients or caregivers control the timing of the actuation, or dose delivery. That can be helpful in training and ensuring proper technique.
The device is compatible with spacers or valved holding chambers. This can improve delivery to the lungs and reduce medication being deposited in the mouth. Spacers can be especially helpful for young children, elderly patients, patients with poor hand-breath coordination, and patients who may be prone to thrush or systemic side effects.
Our inhaler also provides consistent dose delivery, as it does not rely on the patients’ individual respiratory effort. This makes it more reliable during acute illness or in patients with compromised lung function.
Are there any differences between the new generic and the former branded QVAR® inhaler?
TR: There are no differences with the discontinued QVAR®. However, in regard to the currently marketed QVAR RediHaler®, the difference is that the Amneal product is a hand-breath actuator, while the RediHaler® is a breath-only actuator.
How do you know if this generic would be a good fit for your (or your child's) asthma?
TR: The patient or caregiver should speak with their healthcare provider about whether beclomethasone is suitable for them. The focus should be on whether the generic version is right for patients prescribed beclomethasone.
This can be the case – that it’s a better choice – for patients who prefer or require the advantages of the hand-breath actuator or use a spacer.
Explain the beclomethasone dipropionate inhaler's two dose strengths.
TR: The two dose strengths are 40 micrograms and 80 micrograms. A healthcare provider will prescribe the dose that's the right fit for the patient.
The recommended starting dosage for patients 12 years of age and older who are not on an inhaled corticosteroid is 40 to 80 mcg twice daily. The doses are taken approximately 12 hours apart. For patients aged 5 to 11 years old, the recommended starting dosage is 40 mcg twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart.
What are the common side effects of this inhaler?
TR: The most common side effects of beclomethasone dipropionate inhalation aerosol are: headache, throat irritation (pharyngitis), and sinus irritation (sinusitis).
Several asthma inhalers have left the market. How will Amneal's beclomethasone inhaler help improve patient access?
At Amneal, we continue to build upon our company's over 20-year legacy in generics to broaden access to treatment. The company’s primary goal is to keep high-quality, affordable medicines within reach for the patients. We do this by bringing an average of 20 to 30 new generic products to market each year. Many of these are in high demand or the first generic for a brand. That's what we're doing with the beclomethasone inhaler.
Price has been an issue with asthma inhalers. What can you tell us about costs for this generic inhaler?
TR: Price is hard to speak about since we have no control over what a patient’s out-of-pocket expense will be. That's entirely based on their insurance. However, having more options available does mean greater access for the patient.
The 2026 U.S. Generic & Biosimilar Medicines Savings Report published by the Association for Accessible Medicines reveals that generic and biosimilar drugs saved the U.S. healthcare system $496 billion in 2025 alone. Cumulative savings over the past decade exceeded $3.6 trillion.
Amneal is well-known in the allergy community for its generic USP epinephrine auto-injector. Does it plan to do more in the respiratory area and asthma?
Amneal has an entire plant dedicated to the development and commercial production of specialized inhalation products, specifically metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) and dry-powder inhalers (DPIs).
The beclomethasone and our new albuterol sulfate MDI inhalers are only the first two products for the U.S. market out of this facility’s solid pipeline.
This article received sponsorship from Amneal Pharmaceuticals.
