Novel alternatives to reduce powder retention in the dry powder inhaler during aerosolization.

Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are used predominantly for the treatment of pulmonary diseases by delivering drugs directly into the lungs. The drug delivery efficiency is typically low and there is significant drug retention inside the DPI. An innovative 'green' initiative aimed at minimizing drug wastage via channeling the residual drug into the useful inhaled therapeutic fraction was pioneered. Drug retention could be minimized via coating the drug capsule and delivery device with pharmaceutically acceptable force-control agents. This coating reduces the adhesion between the drug particles and the internal surfaces of the DPI, which in turn increases the fine particle dose by as much as 300%.