Micro Tooling Considerations
3/29/17 When it comes to micro sized components in medical and pharmaceutical devices, the right tooling makes all the difference. Here is a portion of a video of Donna Bibber speaking about micro tooling consideration at a convention. Click the below image to see the video.
Dry Powder Inhalation Products
3/23/17 www.Dose-One.com
The DoseOne™ dry powder inhaler is capsule based with a new needle technology that can pierce the capsule with no particles detaching from the capsule and the powder is delivered directly through the needle. The result is a disposable three piece molded device storing the capsule, which can be actuated and inhaled by the patient in one step. No dose counter is required and a window in the device gives the patient visual confirmation of an empty capsule after inhalation. It was designed to be simple to use, disposable and cost effective to manufacture.
We are currently looking to partner with a pharmaceutical company to bring this device to market. It has been prototyped, tested, benchmarked and is ready for pilot production. DoseOne™ is simple, inexpensive and can be brought to market quickly as it is already designed, injection molded and geared for fast iteration for the incorporation of minor modifications for a multitude of drug/excipient molecule sizes.
Monash University wrote an article about DPIs:
D4 researchers are exploring opportunities where drug delivery to the airways can improve health outcomes for certain patient populations. The lungs present a large surface area with an extensive blood supply and thin epithelial cells. This can facilitate absorption of some compounds so that medication reaches the bloodstream without the need for an injection. In certain disease states, it is beneficial to deliver medicine to the site of action. D4 researchers are therefore investigating the role of inhaled antibiotics for respiratory infections.
Researchers are working to develop a novel aerosol delivery system for oxytocin that can be inhaled by patients immediately after childbirth, using a simple, disposable device. This approach will increase access to potentially life-saving treatment in resource-poor settings—where a large number of women give birth outside medical facilities or in understaffed and ill-equipped clinics with limited or no refrigeration facilities.
Pulmonary immunization has gained increased recognition as a means of triggering both a mucosal and systemic immune response without the use of needles. The appropriate formulation of antigens in a dry, solid state can result in improved stability, thereby removing cold-chain storage complications associated with conventional liquid-based vaccines.
Delivery of the antibiotic via inhalation, as compared to intravenous administration, has the potential to achieve higher concentrations within the respiratory tract while minimizing systemic exposure. These effects combined are likely to improve clinical efficacy and reduce adverse effects.
If you are interested in learning more about our DPI, please email DonnaBibber@MicroEngineeringSolutions.com.
Micro Components used in Painless Vaccine Delivery
3/16/17 Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley developed a small device using micro components to deliver vaccines through the inside of the cheek without pain or the need for a professional. Its called a MucoJet and is the size of a pill. A patient would squeeze a bulb on the end of the mucojet which breaks a thin membrane separating two compartments: one filled with water and the other, a dry chemical propellant composed of citric acid and baking soda. When the two substances mix, they react to generate enough pressure to push on a piston in the device, which forces a small reservoir of the vaccine out the other end through a small nozzle. The patient would then hold it against the inside of the cheek allowing the nozzle to administer the vaccine through the mucosal layer.
This device has been tested on cheek tissue from pigs as well as live rabbits. The tests simulated how oral flu vaccine are administered and showed that the pressure of the jet improved the efficiency of the drug delivery. The data from this research indicates the immune response from this device is comparable to using a needle. Pros for this new device is it is painless, reduces the biohazardous waste that comes from disposing of used needles, and can be administered at home by the patient, without needing a medical professional on hand.
Testing will begin on larger animals as well as experiments on different shape and size designs including a version that can be swallowed to deliver drugs directly to the intestines.
Silicone Microspheres Are Now a Reality
3/2/17 Researchers at the University of Illinois used humidifier technology to create tiny silicone microspheres for targeted drug delivery.
Scientists have struggled with making silicone into microspheres due to its tendency to adhere and produce large spheres. So why bother? Silicone is a useful material to use due to its unique combination of properties. It is heat resistant, waterproof, biocompatible and chemically stable.
To overcome the obstacle of adherence, the University of Illinois researchers used a technique called ultrasonic spray pyrolysis, which employs technology found in household humidifiers to create a mist of ultrafine droplets. A mist containing all the ingredients of silicone is sent through a heated tube, which solidifies the mist into tiny spheres of silicone. Because the droplets are all separate within the mist, they don’t stick together like they do in an emulsion, so the resulting microspheres are roughly 100 times smaller than any previously reported.
These microspheres were then made with a variety of properties for different applications, including colored, fluorescent and magnetic spheres. Because the spheres are bio-inert, the researchers believe they will be excellent vessels for extended-release pharmaceuticals. They are also exploring potential applications of solid, hollow and magnetic microspheres.
As we have said in many of our blogs, the advancement in micro technology is rapidly developing and the uses of these advancements are endless. This technology has improved many parts of our lives from our health to the handheld electronics we use. Without these advancements we would not be living in the world we are enjoying today.