Chiesi wins award for Modulite technology

Chiesi Farmaceutici has announced that it has won the 2006 Frost & Sullivan Technology Award in the European respiratory diseases division, picking up the accolade for its Modulate technology platform.

The award also recognised the company’s research and development efforts, its product pipeline roadmaps and partnerships and collaborations with other firms. The annual award recognises firms that have exhibited technological superiority in their field.

Chiesi has signed a number of partnership and collaboration agreements, including those with GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, 3M, AstraZeneca, UCB, Nycomed and Takeda.

Frost & Sullivan notes that European governments have abolished the use of chlorofluorohydrocarbons (CFC)-based inhalers, with the Modulite technology providing a viable alternative that shares a similar clinical profile.

Miriam Findlay, research analyst at Frost & Sullivan, said: “The Modulite technology offers solution formulations comprising the active drug, the HFA propellant, a co-solvent and, optionally, a non-volatile compound capable of modulating the aerodynamic diameter of the particles and the related portion which reaches the broncho-pulmonary tract.”

She added that the flexible nature of the technology enable the size of the particles to be varied to facilitate optimum use.

In July 2006, Chiesi announced the launch of Clenil Modulite (beclometasone dipropionate [BDP]) in the UK, the first available CFC-free BDP inhaler with a dose-for-dose equivalence to existing products.