Optimizing drug delivery to the lungs

An inhaler mouthpiece that optimizes drug delivery to the lungs and reduces the amount of wasted medication has been developed by US researchers. According to the researchers, only 10–20% of asthma medications are delivered to the lungs with current inhalers.

"Through a process of computational and experimental analysis and design, we were able to optimize a prototype mouthpiece that allowed more medication to pass through the mouthpiece and be available to the lungs," Michael Hindle, a research associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy explained in a press release issued by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists viaEurekAlert. "By optimizing the design, it will help ensure delivery efficiency so that less medication will be wasted and more will be effectively delivered to the lungs for relief from symptoms."

Hindle also added that the computational approach could be used for other medications that require reproducible drug delivery. "Insulin is an example of a drug that requires a reproducible delivery strategy that can be administered painlessly and as effectively through aerosol inhalers," he said.

Hindle will be presenting at the 2009 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition, which will be held in Los Angeles (CA, USA) on 8–12 November.

www.aapspharmaceutica.com