Innovative Nebulizer Treats Cystic Fibrosis

A new aerosol delivery system enables cystic fibrosis (CF) sufferers to get the benefits of saltwater treatment in their own homes overnight while they sleep.

The trans-nasal pulmonary aerosol delivery (tPAD) device is based on findings that show that the inhaled mist of a hypertonic salt-water solution improves the condition of sufferers by rehydrating the layer of mucus film that lines their lungs. The aerosol nebulizer system creates a saline mist that travels down a long cannula to the sleeping patient, without forming large droplets that often occur in a standard nebulizer system. The small size of the saline droplets is crucial to the success of the treatment, since they need to be small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs.


Developed by Parion Sciences (Durham, NC, USA) and product development firm Cambridge Consultants (Cambridge, MA, USA), the revolutionary aerosol delivery system uses fluid dynamics concepts so that in can deliver an aerosol mist through the nose continuously for eight hours. The tPAD device system is currently undergoing human-factor studies.

“We have seen evidence that routine exposure to salt water reduces the number of lung infections in CF patients and leads to fewer hospital admissions – but the challenge was to develop an optimal delivery system,” said Richard Boucher, cofounder and chairman of Parion. “We enlisted Cambridge Consultants to design the system, given its track record of creating world firsts in drug delivery device development—and the results have exceeded our expectations.”

Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that affects most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine. It is characterized by abnormal transport of chloride and sodium across an epithelium, leading to thick, viscous secretions. The name refers to the characteristic scarring (fibrosis) and cyst formation within the pancreas, first recognized in the 1930s. Difficulty breathing is the most serious symptom and results from frequent lung infections that are treated with antibiotics and other medications.

Related Links:
Parion Sciences
Cambridge Consultants