Recent treatment strategies have strongly suggested the need for personalized selection of a drug-delivery device based on individual patient characteristics, as well as appropriate patient training, to ensure optimal management of COPD.

In this in vitro study, we assess the differences between the HandiHaler® dry-powder inhaler and the eFlow® closed system vibrating membrane nebulizer delivering tiotropium and glycopyrrolate, respectively, using different breathing simulations designed to resemble variations in patient breathing patterns.

Delivery of glycopyrrolate using the eFlow® closed system nebulizer resulted in consistent drug particle mass within the respirable range (MMAD < 5 µm), high rate of particle delivery, and majority deposition of drug particles within the later stages of the Next Generation cascade Impactor (NGI) under all tidal breathing patterns tested.

Delivery of tiotropium using the HandiHaler® dry-powder inhaler showed variability of drug particle mass, lower rate of particle delivery, and high proportion of drug deposition within the USP throat section of the NGI under different peak inspiratory flow rates.

This analysis highlights differences between the eFlow® closed system nebulizer and the HandiHaler® dry powder inhaler in the in vitro delivery of drugs under different, patient-dependent breathing variables, which may help inform clinicians on appropriate device selection for their COPD patients.