AstraZeneca has announced a commitment to launching a “next-generation” MDI with minimal global warming potential (GWP) propellants by 2025 as part of its $1 billion “Ambition Zero Carbon” program. The new program, which was announced at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, aims for zero carbon emissions by 2025 and a carbon negative value chain by 2030.
The company is the second to announce a commitment to developing MDIs with lower carbon footprint propellant by the end of 2025: in December 2019, Chiesi announced a €350 million plan to bring an HFA 152a MDI to market by the end of that year. The need to reduce the GWP of MDI propellants and the possible switch to HFA 152a was a major topic of discussion at DDL 2019.
AstraZeneca said that it would continue to market DPIs but noted that “pMDIs are an important therapeutic option for patients, particularly where familiarity with the device, limited lung function, young or advanced age or reduced dexterity or cognition are considerations.”
Read the AstraZeneca press release.
