A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
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What will 5 cents buy you today? How about an inhaler that could save countless lives as part of a drug-delivery system if a global pandemic broke out? And you’ll get about 1 cent in change, to boot.
The “4-cent inhaler” caused quite a stir when Cambridge Consultants (Cambridge, UK) introduced the product at the end of October. That’s hardly surprising: the company claims that the Conix One inhaler matches, and even surpasses, the performance of inhalers costing in the neighbourhood of 40 cents.
The single-use inhaler is described as an ideal vehicle to deliver vaccinations on a massive scale. In the event of a global pandemic, it can be used to treat large numbers of people effectively, quickly, and economically. The remarkably low price point even allows the inhaler to compete with syringes. Although they may cost about the same amount to produce, syringes are more expensive to distribute, says Brian Barney, who heads the company’s drug-delivery division. Drugs in liquid form usually require refrigeration, he explains. In addition, syringes also require skill and training to use, and they carry the risk of accidental needlesticks, which can have huge consequences in countries where AIDS may be prevalent.
The platform technology is based around a reverse-flow cyclone. Oddly, the initial concept came from a process used in wood mills. “One of our researchers had some experience with large pieces of hardware used in wood mills to separate sawdust particles,” explains Barney. “He wondered if that could work on a smaller scale. He did some searching, and found that it had never been attempted. Hence, we undertook the development,” says Barney.
The swirling action of the cyclone results in a very effective deagglomeration process, says Barney. “Every dry powder we have tested in the inhaler has led to an increase in fine particle fraction compared with mass-market inhalers,” he adds. (This enables more of the drug to reach the lungs.) In fact, Cambridge Consultants claims that the Conix One drug-separation mechanism is up to 40% more effective than many inhalers currently available. Remarkably, all of this has been achieved with an extremely simple design.
“The inhaler has no moving parts,” stresses Barney, “and it is made from a single piece of plastic. The moulding process is incredibly straightforward. We worked with Perlos; it built the tools and had the parts to us in six weeks, which I thought was pretty astounding,” he adds. “But there is nothing particularly complicated about this device. That’s the really clever part.”
Cambridge Consultants is currently conducting feasibility studies on a host of formulations for various companies, says Barney. Many other firms have started beating a path to his door since the press release was issued. “I have requests for information from more than a dozen pharmaceutical and drug-delivery firms that I have never even heard of.” All of which leads Barney to think that the studies and clinical trials should move along fairly quickly.
“At the very least, I would expect the vaccination sector to adopt this technology rapidly,” says Barney. “Wouldn’t it be in the best interest of countries across the world to have at their disposal an inexpensive and effective device to treat, say, avian flu?”
