Hovione
Nasal Dry Powder Delivery

Nose-to-brain
drug delivery

In a joint development with Hovione, IDC developed a multi-patented intranasal drug delivery device providing dry powder medication targeted for the brain and fast-acting systemic treatments.

Safe and effective medication

IDC’s engineers combined their design expertise with Hovione’s specialist knowledge of pharmaceutical particle engineering to create a breakthrough intranasal drug delivery device. Medication delivered through nasal membranes offers a quick and effective way of transporting drugs into the bloodstream. Most nasal delivery drugs are currently used in liquid form, but powdered medication is more stable and therefore the preferred choice.

The project aimed to create a nasal device that could deliver dry powder accurately while remaining simple and intuitive for patients of all ages. In addition to usability, the solution needed to be compatible with existing pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and cost-effective for large-scale production.

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Our partnership with IDC, a company with vast experience in industrial design, mechanical and electronic engineering of medical devices, enables Hovione to offer a complete solution for nasal powder delivery - covering Active Pharma Ingredients (APIs), formulation, filling, analytics and device design and manufacturing - that address the needs of pharmaceutical companies and patients.
Dr Jean-Luc Herbeaux | CEO, Hovione
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Engineering a unique and reliable mechanism for dry powder

IDC’s mechanical engineers developed an innovative mechanism for dry powder ejection, leading to two new patents for the device. The team worked closely with Hovione’s pharmaceutical engineers and a programme of testing enabled the team to analyse how the powder plume behaved under different mechanisms, measuring factors such as ejection rate, spread, and height to optimise absorption across the nasal membranes. Prototypes were built and evaluated using specialised test rigs to refine performance and usability. The team worked alongside IDC’s industrial designers to create designs which focused on ergonomics and usability, ensuring the product would be comfortable and easy to operate by patients.

A design to simplify manufacturing

The first part of the development centred on developing a single-use, dry powder device pre-loaded with a drug capsule. Standard drug capsules may be used, which eliminates the need for specialised packaging and allows pharmaceutical companies to use existing filling equipment, saving time and cost. The device operates through a simple twist-to-unlock action and a squeeze to deliver an accurate dose. It can also be tuned to target specific regions of the nasal cavity, including the olfactory region, enabling rapid absorption and direct delivery to the brain. The product offers a flexible, user-friendly, and cost-effective drug delivery platform that improves patient experience and offers significant advantages to pharmaceutical manufacturers. Following the development of the single use version, IDC and Hovione undertook a further development to create a multi-dose version to expand its application across a wider range of therapies.