Engineered Particle Systems for Inhaled Drug Delivery

Particle properties such as size, shape, and density play a critical role in determining the performance of inhaled medicines. Here, we will highlight progress in the field of “engineered particles” for pulmonary delivery and highlight the use of a particle molding technique called PRINT® (Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates) (Liquidia Technologies, Inc). PRINT molding produces precisely controlled particles on the micron and nanometer scale for drug delivery. Unlike other particle generation technologies, the PRINT molding technique simultaneously enables precise control over particle size, shape, and chemical composition. Examples from the application of the PRINT technology and other “engineered particle” generation approaches towards advancing the field of pulmonary medicine will be described here, including improvement of particle dispersion, dissolution enhancement of poorly soluble compounds, and control of cellular interactions.