In vitro and in vivo dose delivery characteristics of large porous particles for inhalation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo dose delivery characteristics of two large porous particle placebo formulations with different mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMAD approximately equal to 3 and 5 mum). In vitro dose delivery characteristics were measured using the multistage liquid impinger (MSLI). In vitro lung deposition was predicted by calculating the extrathoracic deposition using the ICRP model, with the remaining fraction assumed to deposit in the lungs. Healthy subjects were trained to inhale through the AIR(TM) delivery system at a target peak inspiratory flock rate (PIFR) of 60 1/min. The in vivo dose delivery of large porous particles were obtained by gamma-scintigraphy and was characterized by high ( similar to 90%), reproducible emitted doses for both the small and large MMAD powders. The mean in vivo lung deposition relative to the total metered dose were 59.0 and 37.3% for 3 and 5 pm MMAD powders, respectively, The AIR(TM) delivery system produced high in vivo lung deposition and low intersubject CVs (approximately 14%) across the range of PIFRs obtained in the study (50-80 1/min), This is relative to a variety of dry powder inhalers (DPI) that have been published in the literature. with in vivo lung deposition ranging from 13 to 35% with intersubject CVs ranging from 17 to 50%. The ICRP model provided a good estimate of the mean in vivo lung deposition for both powders. Intersubject variability was not captured by the ICRP model due to intersubject differences in the morphology and physiology of the oropharyngeal region. The ICRP model was used to predict the regional lung deposition, although these predictions were only considered speculative in the absence of experimental validation. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.