In this paper, Srinivas Ravindra Babu Behara, PhD, Researcher; David Morton, PhD, Associate Professor; Ian Larson, PhD, Senior Lecturer; and Peter Stewart, PhD, Deputy Dean & Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, all of Monash University; and Paul Kippax, PhD, Product Group Manager, Malvern Instruments, describe the use of laser diffraction to analyse dry powder behaviour. The authors introduce relative de-agglomeration versus flow rate profiles, which represent an effective graphical means to summarise the outcome of the complex interplay between the applied aerosolisation energy and the cohesive forces opposing dispersion in different powder formulations emitted from different inhalation devices. The resulting data can be used as a screening method for developing a formulation strategy for a particular active substance.
Despite being an increasingly popular method of inhaled drug delivery, dry powder inhalers (DPIs) have relatively low effectiveness in delivery of the active ingredient. Research from Monash University highlights the value of using a Spraytec laser diffraction particle size analyzer to generate powder deagglomeration profiles which show how dose dispersion changes as a function of the applied air flow rate. This allows efficient comparison of the dispersion performance of different formulations in a device, supporting the efficient matching of devices to formulations. To read the full article, click here
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