Advancements in Metered-Dose Inhaler Technology: Feasibility of Excipients and Particle Size Prediction

• Author / Creator

  Minootan, Zahra

• Chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are one of the leading causes of death in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 262 million people were diagnosed with Asthma in 2019 alone. Among current drug delivery systems for the treatment of such conditions, pulmonary drug delivery is known as the most efficient route for delivery of drugs to the lungs. This thesis focuses on pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) as one of the most widely used devices in pulmonary drug delivery.
  Chapter 1 gives an introduction to current inhaler devices and their advantages and disadvantages before providing further detail about pMDI formulations and designs. Additionally, particle engineering for manufacturing powders used in inhalers is discussed. Finally, methodologies to enhance the performance of pMDIs are reviewed and discussed.
  Chapter 2 presents the details of an investigation into different suspension formulations and the feasibility of their use in pMDIs. A short-term accelerated stability study was conducted to investigate the physical stability of spray dried powders in pMDIs. Formulations were compared in terms of their suspension stability and particle morphology. Results of the study showed that factors such as the propellants used and the spray drying manufacturing conditions could affect the physical stability of particles emitted from pMDIs.
  Chapter 3 provides a literature review of current models and simulation for predicting the aerosol performance of pMDIs. It then goes further in development of a Monte Carlo simulation to predict aerodynamic particle distribution of residual particles emitted from pMDIs. Using the simulation, various factors influencing APSD of emitted aerosols are discussed, and the potential of the simulation to account for different variables is explored.
  In summary, this thesis aims to give a better understanding of pMDIs as established devices for pulmonary drug delivery, explore methods for evaluating their performance, and delve into the development of environmentally friendly inhalers with innovative formulations.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Particle Engineering
  • Inhalers
  • Propellants
  • Phospholipids
  • Spray drying

• Graduation date

  Spring 2024

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-rjfv-mz64

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.