Martin Knoch

The customised electronic nebuliser: a new category of liquid aerosol drug delivery systems

Inhalation of aerosols is the preferred route of administration of pharmaceutical compounds to the lungs when treating various respiratory diseases. Inhaled antibiotics, hormones, peptides and proteins are potential candidates for direct targeting to the site of action, thus minimising systemic absorption, dilution and undesired side effects, as much lower doses (as low as a fiftieth) are sufficient to achieve a similar therapeutic effect, compared with oral administration. A quick relief from the symptoms and a good tolerance are the main advantages of aerosol therapy. A new class of electronic delivery device is now starting to enter the market. The eFlow® electronic nebuliser (PARI GmbH, Germany) provides improved portability and, in some instances, cuts treatment time to only a fraction of what has been experienced with current nebulised therapy. Drug formulations and the device can be mutually adapted and matched for optimal characteristics to meet the desired therapeutic target. Reformulation of known and proven compounds in a liquid format are commercially attractive as they present a relatively low development risk for potential drug candidates and, thus, have become a preferred pathway for the development of new inhalation products.

New advances in aerosolised drug delivery: vibrating membrane nebuliser technology

Innovative nebuliser systems bear the potential to greatly improve and expand the administration of therapeutic aerosols for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Exploiting the technology of a microperforated vibrating membrane offers a close control of the droplet size that is being generated and targeted to reach the lower airways, with little oropharyngeal deposition, thereby reducing undesired side effects. The greatly improved efficiency of such devices, as exemplified by the eFlow® nebuliser (PARI), provides further advantages for the patient. A high respirable fraction due to the precisely defined perforations, low residual losses and the high liquid output rate combine to produce a highly efficient and fast administration of inhaled medications. Portability, ease of handling and noiseless operation have a positive effect on patient compliance, control of the therapy by the physician and the therapy costs.