Pharmaceutical Technologist - July 2008 - (Page 23)

R&D reigns in Spain As pipelines take on a sickly hue and reliance on R&D increases, Almirall talks to Pharmaceutical Technologist about its new compound for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, state-of-the-art inhaler and vision for the future. Gonzalo de Miquel Global Medical Director R&D Almirall is developing a new compound, aclidinium bromide, for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Why has the company targeted this therapeutic area? Globally, an estimated 80 million people suffer from moderate-to-severe COPD1 and more than 3 million people worldwide died from the condition in 2005.2 Despite this, there are significant unmet needs in the treatment of COPD. Furthermore, Almirall has certain expertise in the respiratory arena. Its own proprietary antihistamine, ebastine, belongs to the allergy and respiratory area. How confident are you that aclidinium bromide will successfully complete clinical trials? Aclidinium bromide is currently in Phase III clinical development and we remain confident in its development as a product that may offer patients early onset of action, improved tolerability and acceptance benefits compared with existing COPD therapies. What advantages does aclidinium bromide offer patients over existing therapies? Aclidinium bromide is a novel, once-daily, long-acting muscarinic antagonist. It causes smooth muscle relaxation and produces a bronchodilatory effect (widening of the airways to the lungs), reducing the effects mediated by the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Aclidinium bromide is intended to offer COPD patients certain advantages including: ● Early onset of bronchodilation — quicker full therapeutic effects. ● Tolerability — less bothersome Gonzalo d side-effects and a wide safety e Miquel margin. ● The use of an Intuitive device — a new ‘press and inhale’ concept that encourages correct use and compliance. Carsten Niederlaender Director, Pharmaceutical Development What difficulties do you face in designing a device to deliver drugs for the treatment of COPD? COPD patients are a special group. In many cases, the condition is combined with other ailments and it frequently occurs in the elderly. A good inhaler needs to include specific design features to make its use suitable for these patients. How does Almirall’s new multidose dry powder inhaler (MDPI), Genuair,3 which is designed to deliver aclidinium bromide, address these issues? A COPD patient lung has less capability than a healthy lung. This means that its inhalation force, which in an MDPI is key to dosing, may be lower than in a healthy lung. It may also vary considerably from day to day and depending on the disease status. Genuair has a patented powder dispersion system in which a ‘cyclone’ ensures consistent delivery of the www.ptemagazine.com 23 http://www.ptemagazine.com

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Pharmaceutical Technologist - July 2008 Contents Industry Highlights Morpheus Market Watch Overcoming the Barriers The Tide of Change Eight Steps to Improved Water Efficiency Q&A

Pharmaceutical Technologist - July 2008

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