Title : Strategies to improve drug delivery to the lungs from dry powder inhalers
Abstract:
The respiratory route has been used to deliver drugs into the human body for centuries. However, the airways and lungs have a complex physio-anatomical architecture, thus making drug delivery to the lungs more challenging and most current inhalers still suffer from poor drug delivery. The presentation will focus on the progress made to the inhaled formulations and devices to improve drug delivery to the lungs with more focus on dry powder inhalers.
Audience take away:
• For asthma alone, the number of people with asthma in the world may be as high as 334 million (The Global Asthma Report (GINA), 2014). and in the UK about 5.4 million people suffer from asthma, of which 1.1 million are children. Despite improvements made in inhaler devices and formulations, drug delivery to the lungs is still low. In this talk we will discuss the formulations and devices which will of interest to the formulation scientists, engineers and patients affected by asthma or chronic obstructive disease.
• Particle engineering and formulations can be applied to areas outside inhalation. Those researchers starting in the inhalation can learn some skills which can use in their research. Those with experience in the field can enhance their knowledge in the area and those working in other dosage forms can apply the knowledge to their specific area.
• The information gained from the talk or discussion group can be used for both teaching undergraduates students and research. The talk will help the engineers improving design of their inhaler devices, formulation scientists will learn different ways making formulations for inhalers. Such knowledge is transferable to other pharmaceutical formulations areas.
