The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved GlaxoSmithKline’s Anoro™ Ellipta™, the company announced. The product is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Anoro Ellipta is a combination anticholinergic/long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist that can be used once a day, the first to combine two long-acting bronchodilators into a single inhaler. It is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2014.

 “We believe Anoro Ellipta will be an important treatment option for appropriate patients with COPD. …  This approval is a significant achievement for GSK,” said Darrell Baker, SVP & Head, GSK Global Respiratory Franchise.

Testing for Anoro Ellipta included seven clinical studies with almost 6,000 patients with COPD.