1nhaler, a Scotland-based drug delivery device developer, has secured an additional £1.5 million in seed funding to drive development of its novel pop-up cardboard dry powder inhaler (DPI).
The funding round was led by Archangels with support from Scottish Enterprise and BBB Investments. It follows an initial raise of £2 million in 2023 in a funding round also led by Archangels.
The investment will enable 1nhaler to advance its innovative platform technology towards a first Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) targeted for late 2027. This includes the manufacture of clinical material for regulatory studies and the design of large-scale commercial manufacturing processes.
Inhalable medicines are already used to treat conditions such as asthma, COPD, influenza, anaphylaxis, epilepsy, depression and Parkinson’s. 1nhaler's unique single-dose DPI platform addresses key limitations in current delivery options around user accessibility, cost, performance and environmental impact.
Unlike conventional inhalers typically made from bulky plastic, 1nhaler's DPI is made predominantly from eco-friendly cardboard and the size and shape of a credit card for improved portability. The novel platform technology incorporates a patent-protected membrane-based system that transforms into a three-dimensional inhaler for patient use. The system can be tailored to deliver different dry powder drugs effectively.
Performance data from 1nhaler's lead product demonstrates results on par with leading multidose dry powder inhalers. The company is actively engaged in commercial discussions with companies across different therapeutic opportunities, working to bring new and existing drugs to patients in a more efficient, affordable and sustainable way.
1nhaler has already established manufacturing partnerships with Upperton for clinical manufacture and Harro Höfliger for large-scale manufacturing process development.
Based in Edinburgh, the company was founded by Don Smith and Lisa McMyn. They have assembled a team of industry experts with decades of experience taking inhaled products to market, including Chief Scientific Officer Helen Muirhead who was Head of the Respiratory Centre of Excellence and had development responsibility for GSK's blockbuster respiratory portfolio, including the Diskus and Ellipta inhalers. Last year, they appointed Jane Gaddum, formerly Vice President for emerging brands within global marketing for AstraZeneca, as Board Chair and Non-Executive Director (NxD).
