Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 May 22:12:11.
doi: 10.1186/s40248-017-0092-5. eCollection 2017.

Recent advances in capsule-based dry powder inhaler technology

Federico Lavorini  1 , Massimo Pistolesi  1 , Omar S Usmani  2
Affiliations
Review

Recent advances in capsule-based dry powder inhaler technology

Federico Lavorini et al. Multidiscip Respir Med. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Pulmonary drug delivery is currently the focus of accelerated research and development because of the potential to produce maximum therapeutic benefit to patients by directly targeting drug to the site of pathology in the lungs. Among the available delivery options, the dry powder inhaler (DPI) is the preferred device for the treatment of an increasingly diverse range of diseases. However, because drug delivery from a DPI involves a complex interaction between the device and the patient, the engineering development of this medical technology is proving to be a great challenge. Development of DPI systems that target the delivery of fine drug particles to the deeper airways in the lungs using a combination of improved drug formulations and enhanced delivery device technologies means that each of these factors contributes to overall performance of the aerosol system. There are a large range of devices that are currently available, or under development, for clinical use, however no individual device shows superior clinical efficacy. A major concern that is very relevant in day-to-day clinical practice is the inter- and intra-patient variability of the drug dosage delivered to the deep lungs from the inhalation devices, where the extent of variability depends on the drug formulation, the device design, and the patient's inhalation profile. This variability may result in under-dosing of drug to the patient and potential loss of pharmacological efficacy. This article reviews recent advances in capsule-based DPI technology and the introduction of the 'disposable' DPI device.

Keywords: Asthma; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Drug delivery; Dry powder inhalers; Technology assessment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a-d types of dry powder inhalers and corresponding mechanisms for drug deagglomeration and dispersion. Modified from [8]
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Schematic diagram of dry powder inhaler formulations and dispensing powder mechanisms. a Drug-only formulation (drug agglomerates); b Carrier-based formulation. See text for further details. Modified from [7, 8]
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The Breezhaler capsule-based dry powder inhaler
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Global Initiative for Asthma. Global Strategy for AsthmaManagement and. Prevention, 2016. Available from: www.ginasthma.
    1. Celli BR, McNee W. ATS/ERS Task Force: Standards for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with COPD: a summary of the ATS/ERS position paper. Eur Respir J. 2004;23:932–946. doi: 10.1183/09031936.04.00014304. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Crompton GK. Problems patients have using pressurised aerosol inhalers. Eur J Respir Dis. 1982;119:101–104. - PubMed
    1. McFadden ER., Jr Improper patient techniques with metered dose inhalers: clinical consequences and solutions to misuse. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995;96:278–283. doi: 10.1016/S0091-6749(95)70206-7. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Giraud V, Roche N. Misuse of corticosteroid metered-dose inhaler is associated with decreased asthma stability. Eur Respir J. 2002;19:246–251. doi: 10.1183/09031936.02.00218402. - DOI - PubMed