At DCAT Week in New York City, held March 21-24, DFE Pharma’s CEO, Martti Hedman, launched INTO, a partnership established by DFE Pharma, an excipients solution provider, Harro Höfliger, an equipment supplier, and Sterling, an API manufacturer. “Inhalation Together” (INTO) specializes in the field of dry powder inhalation (DPI).
 
The initiative provides R&D services to pharmaceutical companies in the respiratory field, with the goal of making formulation development simpler, faster, and easier to manage. INTO offers a coordinated and aligned suite of services, leveraging the expertise and complementary skill sets of its three partners.
 
DFE Pharma’s CEO Martti Hedman shared additional insight on the strategic partnership and its goals in supporting the growing respiratory market . –KB  
 
Contract Pharma: What are the key challenges associated with inhalation development?
 
Martti Hedman: Inhaled therapies are designed to deliver active ingredients directly to the lungs, overcoming barriers related to other routes of administration. However, this pathway demands a precise formulation. It is key to optimize APIs and excipients to match the increasing range of inhalant devices, each with different performance characteristics. The ultimate efficacy of inhalation products depends on formulation, device, mixing, filling and patient specific factors.
 
The growing respiratory market keeps evolving, with an increased need for R&D services and knowledge in the field of dry powder inhalation (DPI). Many new companies are entering this area and require further support with their inhalation formulations – including in equipment, technology platforms or know-how. Companies exploring inhaled treatments for new indications or generic medicines, could benefit by working with INTO, as the partners have a full knowledge of the key challenges in DPI development.
 
CP: How did the collaboration come about? What capabilities will be leveraged?
 
MH: Martti Hedman DFE Pharma, Harro Höfliger and Sterling have collaborated on several occasions to support pharmaceutical companies with their challenges in respiratory formulations. Together, we have successfully contributed to the development of innovative and generic inhalation products. We are also collaborating with ongoing research work. These collaborations led to the launch of INTO in March 2022. 
 
The scope of services provided by INTO ranges from rapid multifactorial Proof Of Concepts (PoC’s) to full scale API, excipient, blend and filling design and development and troubleshooting and consultancy of established programs.
 
CP: What are the critical process steps to increase the chance of success with inhalation development?

MH: Dry Powder Inhalation (DPI) formulation is a challenging process due to the strong interdependency between -lactose- excipients, APIs and equipment. The partners at INTO – DFE Pharma, Harro Höfliger and Sterling – are leading experts in these respective areas and by combining our strengths, we are increasing the chances of success.  
 
For generic companies, there is an opportunity to better understand this interdependency and to use this knowledge to be successful. Embracing multifactorial studies early in development is key. A holistic approach to DPI formulation – as provided by INTO – increases the chances of being successful in all stages of development.
 
CP: What does the collaboration aim to achieve?
 
MH: Strategic collaborations provide exponential benefits to the pharma industry, its patients, and the broader society. DFE Pharma, Harro Höfliger, and Sterling have launched INTO with a common vision to provide a wide suite of services for pharmaceutical companies to successfully develop inhalation drugs. 
 
INTO offers a wide scope of services, including rapid multifactorial Proof Of Concepts (PoC’s) to full scale API, excipient, blend and filling design, development and troubleshooting, and consultancy of established programs.
 
Through INTO, we make respiratory product development more simple, fast, and economic for our pharma customers. This launch is the first step of our journey together. We are planning for further collaboration, as we are joining our forces to enhance our customers’ experience, which will also benefit patients increasing their access to therapies.

Martti Hedman, CEO, DFE Pharma