Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1496325
News about companies that support development of orally inhaled and nasal drug products (OINDPs), including regulatory approvals, new indications for OINDPs and results of clinical studies. News on R&D and progress in the treatment of respiratory diseases, such as asthma and COPD. 8 April 2023 Inhalation Cipla invests in Ethris for mRNA-based inhalation therapies MUMBAI, INDIA—Economic Times reported that Cipla's UK subsidiary will invest in Eth- ris. e investment will facilitate a long-term partnership for de- velopment of messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapies to be de- livered directly to the respiratory system. Administration methods would include inhalation. e investment is intended to fast- track Cipla's participation in the mRNA space and enable it to pro- vide access to solutions developed by Ethris. "is inhaled mRNA technology is a paradigm shift in the delivery mechanism," said Umang Vohra, MD and Global CEO of Cipla. "e investment supports the further development of our pipeline and our objective to leverage mRNA-based thera- peutics to treat a broad range of diseases," said Carsten Rudolph, CEO of Ethris. RESPIRATORY MEDICINE NEWS Peanut allergen-specific inhibitor prevents anaphylaxis in humanized mouse model SOUTH BEND, INDIANA— According to Science Daily, researchers from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana Uni- versity School of Medicine and Vanderbilt University Medical Center have demonstrated that a peanut allergen-specific inhib- itor prevented allergic reactions in a humanized mouse model for more than two weeks when administered before allergen expo- sure. e inhibitor also prevented fatal anaphylaxis and attenuated allergic reactions when admin- istered shortly after the onset of symptoms. e research will now advance to preclinical trials. e researchers initially developed a solution, the DUSA Shaker™ DTS 100i, a fully updated version of the original Copley Scientific DUSA Shaker. e DTS 100i automates the internal rinsing of DUSA col- lection tubes for metered dose inhalers (MDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs). The company noted the modular instrument can provide faster testing, accelerate [development] timelines, increase repeatability and accuracy [of re- sults], and release analysts for higher value work. Lonza Small Molecules upgrades powder characterization capabilities BASEL, SWITZERLAND— Lonza announced an enhancement in powder characterization capabil- ities at its Small Molecules site in Tampa, Florida, US, with the ad- dition of universal powder flow testing and automated particle size and shape analysis. e new instru- ments can increase understanding of the behavior of powdered drug substances, excipients and blends used in the development of new dosage units, the company noted. e powder flow tester can char- acterize powder flow properties, identify minimal property differ- ences and test samples in various states by simulating a range of pow- der processing conditions. is can increase understanding of powder dynamic flow and bulk and shear properties and support capsule fill- ing for inhaled drug products and solid oral dosage forms. e new analytical instrument uses stat- ic image analysis techniques to characterize particles and compre- hensively map the size and shape of powder particles. is can im- prove the evaluation of powders used in inhalers, where identifica- tion of particle size and shape can be critical, the company news re- lease indicated. INDUSTRY NEWS Aptar Pharma launches first highly recyclable nasal spray pump CRYSTAL LAKE, ILLINOIS— Aptar Pharma announced the launch of (Advanced Preserva- tive Free) APF Futurity, its first metal-free, multidose nasal spray pump developed to deliver nasal saline and other comparable over- the-counter (OTC) formulations. Specifically designed for recyclabil- ity, the pump achieved a Class AA certification from cyclos-HTP for recycling streams in Europe. Made from polyolefin materials with no metal parts or recycling disruptors, it minimizes separation efforts in recycling streams and supporting a higher quality of recyclates. In combination with a high- density polyethylene or polypropylene bottle, a product with the pump can be recycled as one piece, with no need to separate or detach parts or materials before disposal, a key user benefit. APF Futurity is de- signed to meet growing consumer preference for recyclable products. In a 2022 study by Aptar Pharma, 77% of respondents indicated that it was "important" or "very im- portant" that products they buy could be recycled. Copley Scientific introduces new DUSA shaker NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM—"Delivered dose uniformity (DDU) testing confirms the consistency of dose delivery across the lifetime of an individ- ual inhaler and across each batch of product. During testing, a key step is rinsing the dose uniformity sampling apparatus (DUSA) col- lection tubes to recover a delivered dose," noted Copley Scientific in a recent news release. e rinsing process can be done manually or with automated solutions. To sup- port an automated approach, the company has announced its intro- duction of a new semi-automation continued on page 36