The MicroDose Dry Powder Inhaler

MicroDose has developed a state-of-the-art electronic Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) for the delivery of dry powder medications to the lungs. The MicroDose DPI is a handheld, low-cost, breath-activated device that utilizes piezo electronics to efficiently deliver a broad range of compounds. The inhaler achieves the Holy Grail in respiratory delivery, dose delivery that is inhalation flow rate independent. It achieves this is in all orientations, and independent of patient coordination. The device promises to be the first completely electronic DPI on the market and represents the next generation in inhaler technology both in performance and ease of use for patients.

  • Designed for safety and compliance
  • Provides better predictability and control of outcomes
  • Broadly applicable across a range of therapeutic areas
  • Provides a platform inhaler to support a pipeline of products
  • Supports all patient populations including ‘poor coordinators’, pediatrics and those with compromised lung function
  • Can be custom designed to fit your company image

The MicroDose inhaler has the following attributes and advantages:

Attributes

  • Low cost
  • Pocket size
  • Highly efficient 
  • Dose size flexible
  • Design flexible
  • Moisture protection
  • Single or multi-unit dose
  • Dose delivery confirmation
  • Compliance monitoring features

Performance Advantages

  • Flow rate independence
  • Orientation independence
  • Coordination independence
  • High lung dose delivery
  • Superior dose to dose reproducibility

How It Works

The principle of operation of the inhaler is illustrated below. The drug powder is contained in a closed blister, which protects it from the environment until delivery. The blister is situated above, and in contact with, a piezo vibrator. Just before delivery the blister is pierced by small pins to open it and when the patient takes a breath an airflow sensor automatically turns on the piezo which begins vibrating at high frequency. The vibrations separate (deaggregate) the particles of powder and aerosolize them into the airstream produced by the inspiratory flow. The airflow sensor assures adequate inspiratory airflow before activating the piezo eliminating the need for coordinated activities. The piezo vibrator generates the energy needed to efficiently deaggregate and aerosolize the powder, eliminating the need for high volume inspiratory flow to assure drug delivery.

What It Looks Like

The MicroDose DPI has been designed to be reusable, accepting either single dose or multi-unit dose disposable cartridges. An example multi-unit dose  design, illustrating dose counter and dosing feedback indicators is below:



Design Flexibility

The small packaging of the microelectronics making up the core functioning elements in the MicroDose DPI allows for tremendous design flexibility of the housing or body of the inhaler.


What It Can Deliver – Broad Applicability

The MicroDose DPI is extremely flexible, with the ability to adjust to different drugs and formulations through simple adjustment of the piezo drive circuitry. It has successfully delivered over 25 compounds, both small and large molecules, including insulin, other proteins and peptides, short acting and long acting beta agonists, cortico-steroids, anti-cholinergics etc. The technology is also formulation flexible, able to handle an extremely broad variety of formulation approaches, including neat micronized or neat spray-dried formulations as well as lactose blends of all description and co-spray dried blends. This ability gives our pharmaceutical partners unmatched flexibility during development of their new chemical entities.

Aerosol Delivery Performance

The MicroDose DPI achieves superior performance over existing, marketed dry powder inhalers. Some highlights of the inhaler’s performance are:

  • High emitted dose (>90% for most formulations)
  • High lung dose (Fine particle fractions from 50 to 70% for micronized powders, and from 70 to 90% for spray dried powders, as % of emitted less than 5.0 microns)
  • Flow rate independence (from 15 to 80 L/min flow)
  • Excellent dose delivered uniformity (RSD<2-4% with most formulations)
  • All of the above, in all orientations

Click here to see an article on the MicroDose DPI from the October issue of Drug Delivery Technology magazine.

How Can The MicroDose Inhaler Support Your Pipeline?

The MicroDose inhaler is available for licensing. Please contact us for a free, over the phone assessment of the suitability of our inhaler technology for your product or pipeline of products.

 






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©2004 MicroDose Technologies, Inc.