title: NEXThaler, an innovative dry powder inhaler delivering an extrafine fixed combination of beclometasone and formoterol to treat large and small airways in asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airway inflammation and remodelling in asthma occur in the large airways and also in the small airways. The small airways are those < 2 mm in diameter and are significant sites of chronic asthmatic inflammation. It is important, therefore, to target the small as well as the large airways in any strategy for effective treatment of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present review deals with the recently developed fixed dose drug combination of beclometasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate that emits extrafine particles when delivered from an innovative dry powder inhaler (DPI), NEXThaler®. The aim is to present the technical and clinical aspects of aerosolized drug delivery to the lungs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data show that the NEXThaler DPI is an efficient device for the management of persistent asthma. The evaluation of the inhalation profiles through the NEXThaler DPI demonstrates that device activation and consistent dose delivery occurs at patient achievable inhalation flow rates, and supports the broad utility of the NEXThaler DPI in patients with asthma. Overall, all the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction outcomes demonstrate the NEXThaler DPI is easy to use.
authors.affiliation: University of Parma, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Parma , Italy +0039 0521 033098 ; +0039 0521 033099 ; massimo.corradi@unipr.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corradi
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chrystyn
authors.forename: Borja G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Cosio
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirozynski
authors.forename: Stelios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loukides
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spinola
authors.forename: Omar S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Usmani
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004338:Drug Combinations; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D058995:Dry Powder Inhalers; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines; D001507:Beclomethasone; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate
keywords: asthma; beclometasone; dry powder inhaler; extrafine particles; formoterol; small airways