Research Points to Raman Chemical Imaging as Means for Determining Drug Particle Size in Dry Powder Inhalers In Vitro

PITTSBURGH, May 3, 2010 — Recent research conducted by scientists at ChemImage Corporation revealed that wide-field Raman Chemical Imaging (RCI) shows promise as an in vitro method for identifying drug particle size distribution of Advair Discus® 500/50, a commercial dry powder inhaler with two active pharmaceutical ingredients.

A dry powder inhaler delivers medication directly to the lungs, so the understanding of its particle size distribution specific to each ingredient is important in determining its delivery rate, stability, dosage, efficacy and safety.

RCI is a technique used to obtain spectrally and spatially resolved images of a sample, allowing for accurate chemical identification and size measurements. This method, named ingredient-specific particle sizing, enabled easy identification of Advair’s active pharmaceutical ingredients—fluticasone propionate and salmeterol xinafoate — based on the Raman spectral signature.

“The success this method had in clearly characterizing multiple ingredients in a DPI will allow for a better understanding of formulation efficacy,” said Dr. Ryan Priore, Director of Applications and Contract Services at ChemImage. “Ultimately, this knowledge will lead to a safer, more effective and better quality drug product for consumers.”

Oksana Olkhovyk, Senior Applications Scientist at ChemImage, will present further details on the study’s findings at Particles 2010, an international conference examining the science, technology and business aspects of particle technology, May 22-25 at the Regal Sun Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. This is the first time any information on wide-field RCI and its value in analyzing dry powdered inhalers will be shared.

In previous ChemImage studies, RCI was successfully used to analyze the ingredient-specific particle size of several corticosteroid aqueous suspensions including Rhinocort AQ™ and Flonase™ and metered-dose inhalers such as Combivent®.

For more information, visit http://www.chemimage.com/news/events/particles-2010.aspx or contact ChemImage at 1-877-241-3550.

About ChemImage
ChemImage Corporation, a leader in Chemical Imaging technology, provides instrumentation, software, contract services and expert consulting to government, industrial and academic organizations for numerous applications, including defense, security, pharmaceuticals, forensics and biomedical diagnostic research. The company’s proprietary Chemical Imaging technology can reveal critical chemical and biological information from a variety of material systems.

ChemImage’s headquarters is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where it houses research and development laboratories, as well as engineering and manufacturing facilities.

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