Business review
Enabling technologies
Vectura has several important, patent-protected, drug delivery technology platforms. In addition to using these technologies to support its own product development programmes, Vectura's strategy is to out-license rights to the technologies to other pharmaceutical companies where the resulting licence will generate significant value. Such agreements have already generated significant revenues.
The development of drugs for inhalation is more complex than for oral delivery and different approaches are required depending on the characteristics of the drug being delivered. Vectura's expertise and technology is in demand for a range of inhalation programmes with various companies, and Vectura expects that some of these collaborations will lead to future licensing deals.
Formulation technologies
Vectura's formulation technologies include PowderHale®, micronisation, blending and spray drying. PowderHale® is a patented DPI formulation technology, designed to allow aerosolised drug particles to achieve high lung deposition with low-dose variability. This is achieved by the incorporation of an additional pharmacologically inactive excipient, known as a Force Control Agent (FCA), to the drug formulation. Vectura's formulation technologies and expertise are used to enable our own products and other third-party products.
GyroHaler® and OmniHaler® – multi-unit dose DPI devices
GyroHaler® and OmniHaler® are cost-effective, multi-unit dose DPI devices designed to deliver locally acting drugs to the lung. They are compact and easy to use with a small number of moulded parts, facilitating short device development times and competitive manufacturing costs. The devices may contain up to 60 doses and are disposable after use. They have competitive aerosolisation characteristics and provide excellent drug protection from moisture and light using sealed foil blisters. The GyroHaler® device is used to deliver our generic/505(b)(2) products including VR315 and VR632 and is scaled up for commercial launch. OmniHaler® is in late stage development and will be used to deliver both our own and third parties' branded products.
Clickhaler® – multi-dose reservoir DPI
The Clickhaler® is a multi-dose, reservoir DPI. It is approved for use to deliver a number of drugs used to treat patients with asthma and COPD (salbutamol, beclometasone, formoterol, budesonide and procaterol) in Europe and in Japan.
Clickhaler® is inexpensive to produce and fill, and production is fully automated.
Duohaler® – fixed dual-therapy multi-dose reservoir DPI
The Duohaler® is a fixed dose dual-therapy, passive, multi-dose DPI. It has two separate drug reservoirs that feed two individual drug formulations to two separate metering chambers from which the drugs are delivered to the user in the same breath, avoiding co-formulation issues.
Aspirair® – "Active" DPI device technology
Aspirair® is a high-performance device, designed to deliver dry powdered drugs with high lung penetration and low dose variability. The device is conveniently sized, simple to use, and economical compared to other "active" inhalers. It is a multiple-use device using individual foil blisters.
Aspirair® alone or in conjunction with appropriate formulation technologies, can be used to deliver to the deep lung efficiently and effectively. Aspirair® has the potential to deliver proteins and macromolecules.
Unit dose DPIs
Vectura's unit dose technology is being developed as a re-useable, single-dose, dry powder inhaler. It is designed to be easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture, and is capable of delivering high dose masses with high efficiency. It is suitable for a wide range of conditions that require a rapid onset of effect or that are for occasional use.
