Hovione files new powder inhaler patent

Published: 15-Jun-2011

XCaps combines powder dispersion efficiency with ease of use

Hovione has filed an international patent for a new dry powder inhaler called XCaps.

The Portuguese API manufacturer says XCaps, which combines high efficiency in powder dispersion with ease of use, fills a gap in the pulmonary inhalation market. Lung fractions in excess of 70% have been achieved from a device that only requires two steps to inhalation and has only two components plus a dust cover, the company says.

The XCaps is said to be particularly suited to inhalation applications where minimal training of patients is desirable and has the versatility to treat most pulmonary diseases, including asthma, COPD and infection.

Hovione is optionally offering XCaps with its drug product development programme, allowing potential licensees to take their candidate drugs from the API stage all the way to the unit dose, under one roof.

XCaps follows on the heels of Hovione’s TwinCaps dry powder inhaler, which was developed for an influenza application and is licensed to Daiichi Sankyo and Biota for this application.

‘We give our customers an edge in speed of development because we are perhaps the only independent company developing dry powder inhalers with expertise in every aspect of the inhaled drug development process,’ said Peter Villax, vice-president of Hovione and co-inventor of the device.

Hovione’s business development manager Phil Nelson added: ‘With our core API process development and manufacturing expertise, we can manufacture pharmaceutical ingredients where the final crystallisation step produces pulmonary delivery friendly particles. Alternatively, we can use other particle formulation technologies, such as spray drying and we are currently pioneering new particle technologies for stable, large dose delivery.’

Hovione is currently executing inhaled drug development projects for five pharmaceutical companies, which involve API process development, particle engineering, formulation and clinical supplies.

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