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Medication Tracking: Design and Fabrication of a Dry Powder Inhaler with Integrated Acoustic Element by 3D Printing

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Abstract

Purpose

Asthma is a prevalent lung disorder that cause heavy burdens globally. Inhalation medicaments can relieve symptoms, improve lung function and, thus, the quality of life. However, it is well-documented that patients often do not get the prescribed dose out of an inhaler and the deposition of drug is suboptimal, due to incorrect handling of the device and wrong inhalation technique. This study aims to design and fabricate an acoustic dry powder inhaler (ADPI) for monitoring inhalation flow and related drug administration in order to evaluate whether the patient receives the complete dose out of the inhaler.

Methods

The devices were fabricated using 3D printing and the impact of the acoustic element geometry and printing resolution on the acoustic signal was investigated. Commercial Foradil (formoterol fumarate) capsules were used to validate the availability of the ADPI for medication dose tracking. The acoustic signal was analysed with Partial-Least-Squares (PLS) regression.

Results

Indicate that specific acoustic signals could be generated at different air flow rates using a passive acoustic element with specific design features. This acoustic signal could be correlated with the PLS model to the air flow rate. A more distinct sound spectra could be acquired at higher printing resolution. The sound spectra from the ADPI with no capsule, a full capsule and an empty capsule are different which could be used for medication tracking.

Conclusions

This study shows that it is possible to evaluate the medication quality of inhaled medicaments by monitoring the acoustic signal generated during the inhalation process.

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Funding

The Lundbeck Foundation (R218–2016-1323) and China Scholarship Council (201906240013) provided financial support for the conduct of the research. The funding sources were not involved in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Yongquan Li, Adam Bohr, Henrik Jensen, Jukka Rantanen, Claus Cornett & Johan Peter Bøtker

  2. Sonohaler IVS, DK-2450, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Adam Bohr

  3. Medical Clinical II, Department of Internal Medicine, Justus-Liebig-Universität, D-35392, Giessen, Germany

    Moritz Beck-Broichsitter

Authors
  1. Yongquan Li
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  2. Adam Bohr
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  6. Moritz Beck-Broichsitter
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  7. Johan Peter Bøtker
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Contributions

All authors have contributed to the conception and design of the study and acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data. All authors have drafted the article and revised it critically for important intellectual content. All authors have approved the final article. The authors certify that this manuscript, or any part of it, has not been published and will not be submitted elsewhere for publication while being considered by the Pharmaceutical Research journal.

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Correspondence to Johan Peter Bøtker.

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Conflict of Interest

The company Sonohaler has been formed in conjunction with the issuing of a patent on the acoustic element described in this article. Elsewise the authors disclose that no conflicting interests associated with the manuscript exist.

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Li, Y., Bohr, A., Jensen, H. et al. Medication Tracking: Design and Fabrication of a Dry Powder Inhaler with Integrated Acoustic Element by 3D Printing. Pharm Res 37, 38 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-020-2755-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-020-2755-8

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