HFA Transition Provides an Opportunity to Improve Aerobid Inhaler
Trudell ramps up production of AEROCOUNT Dose Indicator in preparation to supply Forest Laboratories, Inc. with commercial volumes to support their CFC to HFA transition on Flunisolide Inhalation Aerosol.
London, Canada (23-September-08) – Trudell Medical International is pleased to announce the selection of the AEROCOUNT Dose Indicator for use with Forest’s proprietary product containing the active ingredient Flunisolide in an HFA formulation.
As the CFC to HFA transition deadline for pressurized metered dose inhalers (MDIs) approaches, Flunisolide, an existing CFC based inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) branded as Aerobid, has been reformulated with a non ozone depleting propellant to transition through the CFC phase out. A notable change in Forest’s Flunisolide HFA product will be the integration of the AEROCOUNT Dose Indicator to remind patients how much medication remains in their inhaler.
“The CFC to HFA transition has presented an opportunity to provide patients with the added benefit of our dose counting technologies”, explains Mark Pickard, VP and General Manager of Trudell Medical International. “We are extremely pleased to have signed a multi-year supply agreement with Forest and to compliment their efforts to bring Flunisolide HFA through the transition.”
Earlier this year Freedonia forecast the inhalation market to have a healthy growth rate of 9% through to 2012 and that MDIs will see significant gains from improvements to propellant safety and particle manufacturing technologies. Despite the range of respiratory delivery innovations, the MDI is likely to maintain its market dominance by being a low cost and easy-to-use platform.
The AEROCOUNT Dose Indicator is designed to maintain the same look and feel of the MDI with the added benefit of tracking the number of doses remaining.
About Trudell Medical International
Trudell Medical International has a 25 year history in creating innovative aerosol drug delivery products that are distributed in over 90 countries around the world. With the first patent dating back to January 1998, Trudell Medical International’s intellectual property in dose counting consists of over 50 issued patents and patents pending. Leveraging over a decade of development and commercialization effort in dose counting, Trudell Medical International is able to provide pharmaceutical partners with a turnkey solution. In addition to the AEROCOUNT (www.aerocount.com) Dose Counters and Indicators, Trudell Medical International produces the AEROCHAMBER Brand of Valved Holding Chambers, AEROECLIPSE II Breath Actuated Nebulizer and a range of other devices for respiratory disease management. For more information visit www.trudellmed.com
About Forest Laboratories
Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: FRX) is a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company with a long track record of building partnerships and developing and delivering products that make a positive difference in people’s lives. In addition to its well-established franchises in therapeutic areas of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, Forest’s current pipeline includes product
candidates in all stages of development and across a wide range of therapeutic areas. The company is headquartered in New York, NY. To learn more about Forest Laboratories, Inc., visit www.FRX.com.
