Groundbreaking Inhaler Transforming the Method of Respiratory Drug Administration
Cambridge Healthcare Innovations (CHI), a UK-based start-up, has developed a groundbreaking dry powder inhaler (DPI) named Quattrii. This innovative device is designed to deliver large volumes of biologic and mRNA molecules in a single inhalation, addressing the challenges posed by existing inhaler technology in the worldwide research effort for novel inhalable biologics.
Quattrii's design offers several key advantages, making it a potential game-changer in the field of respiratory medicine. David Harris, CHI's CEO and Founder, emphasised the need for innovation in inhaler technology to unlock the potential of respirable drugs, stating that existing technology often lacks sufficient moisture protection and the ability to deliver adequate doses in a single inhalation.
One of the significant advantages of Quattrii is its high lung delivery efficiency. Unlike traditional DPIs, which typically deliver only between 10% and 50% of the drug to the lung, Quattrii can deliver at least 70% of the drug payload directly to the lung in a single inhalation.
The inhaler also supports payloads between 30 mg and 100 mg, allowing delivery of large volumes of biologics and mRNA molecules, which are usually challenging to administer via inhalation. Quattrii separates the active drug from lactose and retains the lactose in the blister packaging, reducing the total powder a patient needs to inhale and increasing the amount of drug that reaches the lungs.
The device's ability to deliver large doses and sensitive molecules, such as mRNA, is made possible by its use of blister primary packaging, which may better protect moisture-sensitive biologics, increasing their stability and viability. Furthermore, Quattrii's faster dosing allows patients to receive the full dose within a few seconds in one inhalation, improving patient convenience and adherence.
Professor Omar Usmani, Professor of Respiratory Medicine and the Clinical Director of Respiratory Trials at ICRRU, expressed excitement about Quattrii's inhaler platform, as it addresses issues with precision, effectiveness, and dose delivery in respiratory medicine. Dr Jenny Lam, an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutics at UCL and an inhaled biologics expert, stated that CHI's Quattrii DPI has significant potential for those developing a wide range of drugs that could save millions of lives.
Quattrii's broad therapeutic potential extends beyond traditional asthma and COPD treatments to novel applications such as lung cancer, pain management, and Parkinson's disease, addressing conditions where lung delivery offers systemic therapeutic advantages. For instance, Quattrii can be used to deliver novel therapies for the treatment of lung cancer, potentially reducing the amount a patient needs to receive and avoiding typical side effects like hair loss and nausea.
CHI's Quattrii DPI is considered unique in the field, offering a significant opportunity for those developing a wide range of drugs. Harris also mentioned that CHI's Quattrii inhaler, designed from the ground up to make the best use of the patient's inhalation energy, offers improved efficiency and ease of use. Quattrii is set to be available for pharmaceutical companies to use in Phase 1 clinical trials starting from Q4 of this year, marking a significant step towards revolutionising drug delivery in respiratory medicine.
[1] Cambridge Healthcare Innovations. (2021). Quattrii Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) Delivers Large Volumes of Drug in a Single Inhalation. Retrieved from https://www.chi-inhalers.com/quattrii [2] Cambridge Healthcare Innovations. (2021). Quattrii Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) Improves Drug Delivery for Lung and Airway Conditions. Retrieved from https://www.chi-inhalers.com/quattrii-dpi-improves-drug-delivery-for-lung-and-airway-conditions [3] Cambridge Healthcare Innovations. (2021). Quattrii Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) Overcomes Barriers to Lung Delivery of Large Drug Volumes. Retrieved from https://www.chi-inhalers.com/quattrii-dpi-overcomes-barriers-to-lung-delivery-of-large-drug-volumes
The groundbreaking Quattrii DPI, developed by Cambridge Healthcare Innovations (CHI), has shown significant potential for leveraging science and technology in the medical field, particularly in addressing challenges in the realm of respiratory medicine. With its high lung delivery efficiency, ability to support large payloads of biologics and mRNA molecules, and use of blister primary packaging to protect moisture-sensitive biologics, Quattrii is poised to revolutionize clinical trials for various medical conditions, from traditional ones like asthma and COPD, to novel ones such as lung cancer, pain management, and Parkinson's disease.
