Asthmatics Need Better Delivery Devices

During the annual congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), held in Copenhagen (Denmark) in September 2005, clinicians called for more efficient delivery devices for asthma patients.

Most asthma patients cannot use their inhalers correctly and many are noncompliant with their treatment regimens. "To help patients, the treatment plan should be kept simple, the patient should be persuaded of the effectiveness of the treatment, and the dosing regimen should be minimized as much as possible,” said Dr. Brian O'Connor, department of respiratory medicine and allergy, Guy's, King's, and St. Thomas' School of Medicine in London (UK). "Most importantly of all, ensure that the patient can use the inhalers correctly.”

Basic medication used to treat asthma has changed little over the years. What has changed are the numerous devices used to deliver the medications. Despite effective training and counseling, patients are still experiencing problems. Using a device usually requires good hand-breath coordination. Clinicians at the meeting evaluated a new dry powder inhaler (DPI), a novel delivery device that has been specifically developed to be easy to use correctly and ensure deposition of sufficient medication to the lungs.

The new refillable device, called Novolizer, uses a cyclone effect for particle deagglomeration in order to achieve effective lung deposition. It is designed to be easier to operate than many other devices in daily practice, making it easy for children and the elderly to use. The Novolizer is currently approved for use in the United Kingdom for budesonide. The device was developed by Viatris Pharmaceuticals GmbH (Bad Homburg, Germany).




Related Links:
Viatris Pharmaceuticals