Advances in Inhalation Therapy: IBC Conference.
A 2-day conference on Advances in Inhalation Therapy drew together 16 speakers, experts in their respective fields, to summarize recent developments in delivery device design, drug formulation, in vitro and in vivo assessment, and to provide a clinical overview of the future of drug aerosol therapy. Concurrent advances are being made in the design of aerosol delivery devices in all areas. Reformulation of non-CFC pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) is overcoming technical, legal and engineering obstacles, although whether the new hydrofluorocarbon (HFA) products will already be limited and dated is a distinct possibility. New 'soft mist inhalers' offer a viable alternative for drug aerosol delivery that has potential advantages in efficiency in design and aerosol delivery compared to conventional pMDIs and DPIs. The reproducible generation and delivery of micronized macromolecules to the peripheral lung offers an efficient and novel means for the effective and safe delivery of peptides and proteins, with notable successes in delivery of analgesics and insulin. Novel means of designing 'smart drugs' through supercritical fluid engineering promises to further enhance the advantages of inhalation for routine drug administration.
Dennis
J H
JH
University of Bradford, Department of Environmental Science, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UK. j.h.dennis@bradford.ac.uk