Site-Specific Microparticle Inhalation Therapy: A New Approach to Nasopharyngeal Symptoms.

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Inhalable microparticles (IMPs) are crucial for treating rhinopharyngeal pathologies.
• Particle size is a key factor for successful drug deposition in the retropharynx.
• Current drug delivery methods face challenges in overcoming anatomical and biological barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and aerosol reproducibility of a new nebulizer device for IMPs.
• To compare the performance of different devices in nebulizing suspensions for retropharyngeal deposition.
• To assess the clinical effectiveness of nebulized Sobrerol (NS) in treating nasopharyngeal symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Low-Angle Laser Light Scattering (LALLS) was used to characterize microparticle dimensions and distribution.
• Six active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) were nebulized using four different devices.
• A retrospective clinical study compared nebulized Sobrerol (NS) with standard therapy (ST) in 74 patients.

Main Results:

• The Rinubes device demonstrated robust and efficient fine nebulization of all tested pharmaceutical products.
• Rinubes produced significantly smaller mass median diameters (MMD) (66.3 µm) compared to other devices.
• Nebulized Sobrerol (NS) showed significantly higher odds of cough resolution (OR 9.18) and nasal symptom resolution (OR 6.7) than standard therapy.

Conclusions:

• The Rinubes device offers improved inhalable microparticle administration (INPAD) for targeted drug delivery to the retropharynx.
• Advanced drug delivery techniques are vital for overcoming barriers in treating nasopharyngeal conditions.
• Non-invasive drug delivery methods hold significant promise for managing rhinopharyngeal pathologies.