Characteristics of the Novolizer® dry powder inhaler
The Novolizer® is a dry powder inhaler with low-to-medium intrinsic resistance. An inspiratory flow rate of at least 35 l/min is necessary to overcome the trigger threshold. However it has been demonstrated that even children aged 4 to 5 years achieved higher peak inspiratory flow rates than required (in average 60 l/min).
During an inhalation manoeuvre about 90% of the metered dose is delivered at the mouthpiece with only little variability. Fine particle fraction
(< 3µm) amounts to 14% at an inspiratory flow of 40 l/min and to 34% at a flow rate of 80 l/min while the mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) is only slightly reduced from 2.9 to 2.1µm indicating only little variability of the fine particle dose in dependence on inspiratory flow rates.
Compared with other devices the Novolizer® has unique features not present in any other DPI. In the first place, it provides three kinds of feedback to reassure the patient that the inhalation manoeuvre was carried out correctly. Additionally the Novolizer is equipped with a dosage stop system releasing the following dose only after the previous dose has been inhaled correctly.
Drugs approved for use with the Novolizer® include budesonide (Novopulmon®, Budecort®), formoterol (Formatris®, Formotop®), and salbutamol (Ventilastin®, Salbu®).
Literature:
Asif M, Siddiqui A, Polsker GL. The Novolizer. A multidose dry powder inhaler. 2005. Treatments in Respiratory Medicine, 4 (1): 63-69
Newman SP, Pitcairn GR, Hirst PH, Bacon RE, O'Keefe E, Reiners M, Hermann R. Scintigraphic comparison of budesonide deposition from two dry powder inhalers. 2000. European Respiratory Journal; 16: 178-183
Siddiqui and Plosker Am. J. Drug Deliv. 2006:4 (1); 57-60
Vogelberg C, Kremer HJ, Ellers-Lenz B, Engel M, Maus J, Conrad F, Hermann R. Clinical evaluation of the peak inspiratory flow generated by asthmatic children through the Novolizer. 2004. Respiratory Medicine; 98: 924-931
Voshaar T. Therapie mit Aerosolen. 2005. Uni-Med: Bremen
Weuthen T, Roeder S, Brand P, M¨llinger B, Scheuch G. In vitro testing of two formoterol dry powder inhalers at different flow rates. 2002. Journal of Aerosol Medicine; 15 (3): 297-303
