Aptar Pharma has announced that its Orbital high-payload dry powder inhaler will be key to a Macquarie University research project titled “Unlocking the Potential of Dry Powder Carriers for Biologic Applications” which is funded by a grant from the Australian Research Council. This is Aptar’s second announcement of this type within a few weeks; the company recently said that it would provide nasal delivery technology for a Massachusetts General Hospital research project focused on nose-to-brain delivery.
Aptar acquired the rights to the Orbital DPI from Pharmaxis in 2022. Earlier this year, the company announced that it would conduct a feasibility study for Covirix Medical to evaluate delivery of a broad-spectrum antiviral that Covirix is developing. Aptar also recently announced that its subsidiary Nanopharm would be developing an inhaled formulation of Aceso Therapeutic’s ACT-101 antisense oligonucleotide for the treatment of CF, noting that Aptar is evaluating the compatability of biologics with both its inhalation and nasal delivery platforms.
According to the grant information, the Macquarie project “aims to enhance the design and performance of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) by addressing key gaps in aerosol science and device engineering to improve efficiency and reliability.” The announcement notes that various types of dry powder formulations will be assessed, including blended and engineered formulations, and that CFD models will be developed using the resulting data.
Aptar Pharma VP, Analytical, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, Guillaume Brouet commented, “Biologic medicines represent a promising area of pharmaceutical development, yet significant challenges remain in translating their potential into effective inhaled therapies. By combining academic and industry expertise, this program will help advance scientific understanding of high-dose dry powder delivery and support the development of future inhaled biologic medicines.”
Macquarie Professor of Respiratory Science Daniela Traini said, “The ARC Linkage Program supports collaborations that translate scientific excellence into real-world impact. This project brings together researchers and industry experts to investigate critical questions in dry powder biologic delivery and support the future development of innovative inhaled therapies.”
Read the Aptar Pharma press release
