Inhaled drug delivery is a crucial route for administering pharmaceuticals, particularly for respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and infectious diseases. This route offers several advantages, including rapid onset of action, localized drug delivery to the affected areas of the respiratory system, and reduced systemic side effects. In preclinical research, inhaled drug delivery allows scientists to investigate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of novel compounds, as well as to model and explore the mechanisms underlying respiratory disease.
SCIREQ offers turn-key solutions for advancing preclinical research in the field of inhaled drug delivery:
Inhalation Delivery of Interferon-λ-Loaded Pulmonary Surfactant Nanoparticles Induces Rapid Antiviral Immune Responses in the Lung. (2024). Gil., C.H., et al. Applied Materials & Interfaces, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c13677
Development of alternative in vitro and ex vivo models for testing of inhalable antibiotics – InhalAb.”Wronski, S., et al. (2020). Models of Lung Disease Workshop 2020, Hannover (Germany)
Ventilator Assisted Drug Delivery (VAAD) is a hybrid between nose-only inhalation and intratracheal instillation. The approach consists in intubating the subject and using optimized computer-controlled ventilation profiles to administer the inhaled compound deep into the subject’s lungs, over several breaths. This strategy minimizes subject-to-subject variability, and fosters a highly homogenous aerosol deposition within the lung. It further allows researchers to measure the lung function of the subject prior to and post administration. VAAD can therefore be used for drug delivery and disease modelling (e.g. for IPF studies with Bleomycin).
The expoCube is a novel Air Liquid Interface (ALI)/Transwell in vitro exposure system which permits highly reliable and effective deposition of aerosols onto cells and tissues. This exposure takes advantage of Thermophoresis, which guides small particles and gas onto the target tissue through a temperature gradient and increases the deposition rate from 2% to ~40%.
Developing Inhaled Cannabis Product Methods for in vitro Toxicological Assessment. Wilson, E., et al (2023). SOT 2023
A novel microfluidic platform for pulmonary nanoparticle exposure .Kiss, F.M et al. (2021). 11th edition of the World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences, virtuel congress, Maastricht, Netherlands
“Intermittent exposure to whole cigarette smoke alters the differentiation of primary small airway epithelial cells in the air-liquid interface culture”, Gindele, J.A, et al. (2020). Scientific Reports volume 10, Article number: 6257
Cigarette smoke exposure disrupts epithelial barrier function and impairs antiviral immune response to influenza infection ex vivo. Böhlen, S. et al. (2020). Models of Lung Disease Workshop 2020, Hannover (Germany)
Obesity is a significant contributor to respiratory disorders such as Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (OHS) and sleep apnea, both of which are characterized by reduced respiratory chemosensitivity. These conditions not only impair breathing but also exacerbate the health risks associated with obesity.
Yang, L., et al (2024) introduces LungVis 1.0, an AI-driven imaging platform integrating light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) and deep learning for mapping nanoparticle (NP) deposition across murine lungs. The research highlights the advantages of aerosol-based delivery methods over traditional liquid-based approaches, emphasizing the uniformity of NP deposition in distal alveolar regions achieved via ventilator-assisted aerosol delivery (VAAD).
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a global health burden characterized by persistent airflow limitation and progressive lung damage. Despite extensive research, translating findings from bench to bedside remains a challenge.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive, life-threatening condition characterized by increased pulmonary arterial pressure, vascular remodeling, and persistent inflammation. Despite advances in treatment, current therapies—such as sildenafil, iloprost, and riociguat—primarily focus on reducing symptoms by dilating blood vessels.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath are emerging as vital biomarkers in medical research, offering a non-invasive glimpse into metabolic and physiological processes. A recent publication by Talor, A., et al (2024) has introduced a novel method for capturing VOCs from the breath of intubated mouse models.
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene, leading to various symptoms, including cognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, and significant respiratory abnormalities.
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