In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of Regional Nasal Deposition using Scintigraphy from a Nasal Spray and a Nasal Powder

There is growing recognition that targeted nasal deposition can help to realize the full potential of the nasal route for systemic and nose-to-brain drug delivery. This article describes an experimental study in which gamma scintigraphy was used to compare regional nasal deposition behavior for a nasal spray and nasal powder, with in vitro and in vivo studies. In vitro studies were carried out with a validated nasal cast (use courtesy of Aptar Pharma/DTF/Univ. of Tours). In vivo data was gathered from six healthy volunteers. Both sets of results indicate higher deposition in the olfactory region with the nasal powder. Agreement between in vitro and in vivo results highlights the potential to accelerate nasal drug development studies using appropriate in vitro test methods and nasal casts.