Inhalable tranexamic acid for haemoptysis treatment

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Respiratory Medicine
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Pulmonary hemorrhage and hemoptysis require effective localized treatments.
• Traditional systemic administration of tranexamic acid (TA) may have limitations for lung conditions.
• Novel drug delivery systems are needed for targeted pulmonary therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an inhalable dry powder formulation of tranexamic acid (TA).
• To evaluate the aerosol performance of TA in a multi-breath inhaler.
• To assess the efficacy of inhaled TA in treating pulmonary lesions and promoting wound healing in vitro.

Main Methods:

• Spray drying was used to prepare inhalable TA particles.
• Particle characterization included laser diffraction, electron microscopy, and thermal analysis.
• Aerosol performance was assessed using cascade impaction; cellular effects were studied using a Calu-3 air interface model.

Main Results:

• Spray-dried TA particles were crystalline, spherical (D0.5 = 3.35 μm), and stable with low moisture sorption.
• The multi-breath inhaler delivered approximately 38 mg of powder per inhalation with a fine particle fraction of 59.3%.
• In vitro, TA particles were well-tolerated by bronchial epithelial cells and significantly enhanced wound closure.

Conclusions:

• A stable, high-performance inhalable tranexamic acid aerosol was successfully developed.
• The formulation is suitable for use in a multi-breath dry powder inhaler.
• This approach offers a promising new treatment for pulmonary lesions and hemoptysis.