Developing More Sustainable pMDIs: A Q&A on Motivation, Progress and Challenges

Although pMDIs account for only a small fraction of global warming, more sustainable pMDIs are an important goal for pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers alike, especially with the global phase down of F-gas use. In this interview, Chris Baron, Director of Business Development (Pulmonary) for Aptar Pharma considers the need for more sustainable pMDIs, progress towards the identification and use of alternative propellants and the challenges associated with reformulation.

Patient choice and preference are key when it comes to treating respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD, with poor adherence rates compromising patient outcomes. More sustainable pMDIs will safeguard cost-effective provision of the rescue and maintenance medications that patients currently rely on and use effectively, while at the same time reducing the environmental burden of treatment. Implications for formulation and device design are discussed with reference to the two leading candidates for propellant substitution – P152a and HFO 1234ze. The evolving regulatory framework and propellant supply landscape are also considered along with the potential impact and contribution of newer technologies such as breath actuated inhalers and digital healthcare solutions.

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