What is the newest inhaler for asthma?

October 8, 2025 •

3 min read

Asthma affects approximately 25 million Americans, with many still experiencing breakthrough symptoms despite daily maintenance therapy. The newest inhaler for asthma to significantly change rescue treatment is AIRSUPRA, a dual-action option approved for adults that addresses both symptoms and inflammation.

Quick Summary

AIRSUPRA is the latest FDA-approved dual-action rescue inhaler for adults with asthma, combining albuterol and budesonide to treat symptoms and prevent attacks by reducing inflammation. Recent label updates expanded its indication to include adults with mild asthma, representing a shift in treatment strategy.

Key Points

AIRSUPRA is the newest inhaler: The newest FDA-approved inhaler is AIRSUPRA (albuterol/budesonide), approved in January 2023 for adults.
Dual-action rescue therapy: Unlike traditional rescue inhalers, AIRSUPRA combines a fast-acting reliever (albuterol) with an anti-inflammatory agent (budesonide).
Addresses inflammation during flare-ups: The addition of an inhaled corticosteroid treats the underlying inflammation whenever symptoms occur, helping to prevent more severe asthma attacks.
Label expansion in 2025: Based on new clinical data, the FDA expanded AIRSUPRA's label in September 2025 to include adults with mild asthma.
Broader treatment innovation: Other recent developments include the SMART approach, new biologics for severe asthma, and pipeline therapies like frevecitinib.
Personalized care is key: Choosing the right treatment depends on individual asthma severity and should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

The landscape of asthma management has seen notable shifts in recent years, moving towards more comprehensive treatment strategies. Historically, rescue inhalers like albuterol only provided immediate relief for symptoms without addressing the underlying inflammation. However, the newest FDA-approved inhaler, AIRSUPRA, marks a significant evolution in this approach by treating both at once.

The Newest Rescue Inhaler: AIRSUPRA

Approved by the FDA in January 2023, AIRSUPRA (albuterol/budesonide) is a dual-action rescue inhaler for adults (18+) across all severities. It combines two medications in a single pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI): albuterol, a short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) for quick symptom relief, and budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) to reduce lung inflammation. Initial clinical trials supported its approval. A May 2025 study further showed AIRSUPRA reduced severe exacerbations in mild asthma compared to albuterol alone, leading to a September 2025 FDA label update for use in adults with mild asthma.

How AIRSUPRA Revolutionizes Rescue Therapy

Traditional asthma treatment often involved a separate daily controller and a SABA-only rescue inhaler. Relying solely on a SABA doesn't treat the underlying inflammation, increasing the risk of severe asthma attacks. AIRSUPRA aligns with modern Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines by providing anti-inflammatory treatment with immediate relief, delivering medication to the lungs during symptom flare-ups and potentially reducing the risk of attacks and systemic corticosteroid exposure.

Comparison: AIRSUPRA vs. SABA-Only Rescue Inhalers

This table highlights the key differences between the newest combination rescue inhaler, AIRSUPRA, and a traditional SABA-only option like albuterol.


Feature	AIRSUPRA (Albuterol/Budesonide)	Traditional SABA (e.g., Albuterol)
Drug Components	A short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) and an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS).	A short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) only.
Mechanism of Action	Provides both immediate bronchodilation and addresses underlying inflammation.	Provides immediate bronchodilation to relieve symptoms.
Target of Treatment	Symptoms and the inflammatory component of asthma.	Symptoms only.
Potential Benefit	Reduces the risk of severe asthma exacerbations compared to SABA alone.	Immediate relief of asthma symptoms.

Emerging and Related Innovations in Asthma Treatment

Beyond AIRSUPRA, the field of asthma care continues to evolve with other innovations.

The SMART Approach

For moderate to severe persistent asthma, Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART) uses a single inhaler containing an ICS and a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) for both daily maintenance and as-needed rescue. This differs from AIRSUPRA, which uses a SABA and is specifically an as-needed rescue treatment.

The Pipeline for Future Inhalers

New therapies are in development for severe asthma. Frevecitinib (KN-002) is a novel inhaled dry powder therapeutic in Phase 2b trials for patients whose asthma remains uncontrolled.

Expanding the Toolkit for Severe Asthma

For severe asthma, particularly with an eosinophilic phenotype, new biologic medications target specific inflammatory pathways. Tezspire (tezepelumab-ekko), approved in late 2021, targets TSLP. Other biologics target different pathways.

Smart Inhalers for Adherence

Smart inhalers and digital platforms track usage, provide reminders, and share data with healthcare providers, aiming to improve adherence and inform clinical decisions.

Conclusion

While many new treatments are in development, AIRSUPRA represents the newest FDA-approved inhaler offering a significant shift in managing asthma attacks for adults. By combining quick relief with anti-inflammatory action, it provides a more comprehensive rescue treatment. This advancement, alongside ongoing research into targeted biologics and innovative delivery systems, highlights a promising future for personalized asthma care. Patients should consult their healthcare provider to discuss whether a modern anti-inflammatory rescue inhaler is appropriate for their treatment plan.

An authoritative source for information on global asthma strategy is the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), which endorses an anti-inflammatory reliever approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main difference is that AIRSUPRA contains two medications—albuterol for quick relief and budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid, to address the underlying inflammation. Traditional rescue inhalers, like albuterol-only devices, only provide temporary relief for symptoms.

AIRSUPRA is an as-needed rescue inhaler for adults with asthma and is not meant to replace your daily maintenance or controller therapy. It is used specifically when you experience asthma symptoms like wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath.

No, AIRSUPRA is currently only approved for people 18 years of age and older. The manufacturer notes it is not approved for use in younger individuals.

Common side effects may include headache, oral candidiasis (thrush), cough, and difficulty speaking. It is important to rinse your mouth with water after use to help reduce the risk of oral thrush.

The BATURA trial was a Phase IIIb study that evaluated AIRSUPRA in patients with mild asthma. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of severe asthma exacerbations compared to albuterol alone, which led to the 2025 FDA label update.

Modern guidelines, such as from GINA, now favor an anti-inflammatory rescue approach for adults with asthma. The availability of products like AIRSUPRA, which combine anti-inflammatory treatment with immediate relief, supports this shift away from relying solely on SABA inhalers.

AIRSUPRA is an as-needed rescue inhaler containing a SABA and an ICS. SMART therapy, or Single Maintenance and Reliever Therapy, uses an ICS/LABA combination inhaler (like Symbicort) for both daily maintenance and rescue, typically for more severe asthma.