Inhalation drug delivery devices and emerging technologies

Driven by the pharmaceutical industry to realise the full potential of the lungs for local and systemic treatment of diseases, pulmonary drug delivery by inhalation aerosols has been undergoing rapid development in the past decade. This has led to novel invention of aerosol delivery devices including the propellant-driven metered-dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers and atomisers. Closely coupled to these inhaler devices are the formulations and new technologies that are required to produce particles of defined characteristics for improved delivery. This review highlights some of the recent advances in this expanding field.