Mesh nebulisation for drug delivery

5 minute read

Richard Gold
31 October 2023

As the prevalence of respiratory diseases increases, mesh nebulisers have gained significant popularity as a method of drug delivery for patients. KD’s Senior Electronics Engineer, Richard Gold, explores some of the pros and cons of mesh nebulisation for patients, and the challenges involved with nebuliser devices.

Mesh nebulisation technology aids the delivery of drugs by converting the liquid solution into a fine aerosol that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. This technology consists of a piezoelectric transducer ring which vibrates a metal plate with an array of small holes at ultrasonic frequencies. When brought into contact with a liquid, this vibration pulls the liquid through the holes, generating aerosolised droplets with each vibration cycle.

A white hand held nebuliser, held by a caucasion hand.

Mesh nebulisation advantages

Mesh nebulisers have a number of advantages when compared to other inhalation methods of delivery, such as jet and ultra-sonic nebulisers. They produce narrow, uniform drug particles, providing an effective means of generating aerosols with better control and consistency for patients.

As well as being more effective, mesh nebulisers are portable and often more convenient for users. They are smaller, battery-operated, and silent, making them easy for users to incorporate into every day life.

Despite these advantages, there are challenges associated with mesh nebulisers, particularly considering the various drug formulations and use-cases for these devices.

Challenges with mesh nebulisation

Accuracy of drug dose

Compared to pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), nebulisers have less controlled dosing. Factors such as leakage from the mouthpiece or mask, variable delivery rates influenced by environmental conditions, and the user’s breathing pattern can all affect the final delivered volume. Apart from the obvious impact on the user of not knowing the delivered drug dosage, there are also commercial implications to the pharmaceutical company if expensive drug product is wasted during delivery. Recent innovations, such a breath-actuated nebulisers, can help to reduce drug wastage.

Residue build-up and clogging

Mesh nebulisers utilise microscopic mesh holes, which are prone to clogging and residue accumulation. This can also impact the dose delivered and reduce the device’s lifespan. The extent to which this becomes problematic depends on the formulation used and the user’s adherence to cleaning instructions.

Given the wide range of nebulisers already available, selecting the correct device is crucial to ensure success in clinical trials and subsequent patient outcomes. It’s essential to be aware of these issues and conduct preliminary studies on the devices of interest to minimise risk, time, and costs associated with the project.

A woman with brown hair and a man with brown hair writing on a whiteboard

Aside to the challenges that mesh nebulisers may present, they ultimately still provide a range of benefits to patients and users. These benefits continue to drive up demand which is leading to a growth in the sales of this evolution of the nebuliser. The global nebuliser market as a whole is expected to reach a value of USD 2.17 billion by 2030. Much of this predicted growth is being driven by a rising prevalence of respiratory diseases*, and this rise ultimately demands an increase in respiratory medication and nebuliser usage.

KD are an expert partner specialising in the design of mesh nebulisers and piezoelectric devices and have extensive experience of helping clients during various aspects of the process, including:

Selection of nebulisers and characterisation of their performance
Third-party assessment of existing nebuliser devices
Production of tailored instructions for use (IFU) specific to nebuliser models and drug formulations, ensuring correct operation by the user
Development of new nebuliser technologies and connected devices

KD’s multi-disciplinary team ensure that all aspects of mesh nebuliser design, from the fluid mechanics, drive circuits and control algorithms through to the human factors and usability are considered.