Quattrii DPI Platform Redefines Inhaler Delivery

Today’s Challenge: Limits of Current Inhalers

Respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD affect millions worldwide, and for many patients, dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are the most common treatment option. While these devices have improved access to medication, they still leave much to be desired. Many inhalers require several breaths to deliver the right amount of drug, which can be exhausting for patients already struggling with weak lungs. The powders often include large carrier particles to stabilize the medicine, but these carriers rarely make it into the lungs. Instead, they hit the throat, causing irritation, coughing, and wasted doses.

For people who rely on inhalers daily, this is not just a technical problem but a real quality-of-life issue. Patients may skip doses when devices feel uncomfortable or ineffective, and the inconsistency of drug delivery can make symptoms harder to control. Doctors are also limited, as some drugs—especially low-potency molecules that need larger amounts—cannot be delivered effectively with current designs. This combination of patient frustration and therapeutic limitations highlights why a new approach is needed.

The Breakthrough: A Smarter Way to Deliver Medicine

Cambridge Healthcare Innovations developed the Quattrii DPI platform with the aim of overcoming these long-standing problems. Unlike traditional inhalers, Quattrii uses a blister-based system that traps the bulky carrier particles before they reach the throat. By holding these back, the inhaler ensures that more of the active drug travels deep into the lungs where it can be most effective.

What makes Quattrii especially versatile is its ability to also operate in API-only mode. This means the inhaler can deliver the drug without any extra carriers at all, making the entire inhalation smoother, less irritating, and more efficient. The platform supports a wide range of fill masses—from 50 to 150 mg—giving it the ability to handle larger doses than most existing devices. For patients, this could mean fewer inhalations per treatment. For pharmaceutical developers, it opens up new opportunities for drugs that once seemed unsuitable for inhaler delivery.

Proof of Concept: Partnership and Potential

To move Quattrii from laboratory innovation to clinical use, CHI partnered with Aptar Pharma, a company with global expertise in drug delivery. This collaboration is critical because an innovative design alone is not enough—it needs the backing of manufacturing know-how, regulatory approval pathways, and distribution networks to reach patients. Aptar brings the scale and industry presence required to take Quattrii into real-world use, ensuring it can be produced at consistent quality and at the volumes needed worldwide.

For patients, this partnership means quicker access to a device that may improve comfort and reliability compared to older inhalers. For the wider pharmaceutical industry, it provides a ready-made platform that can support new therapies, including drugs that require higher doses or more precise lung targeting. Together, CHI and Aptar aim to expand treatment possibilities while making existing therapies more effective and user-friendly.

Tomorrow’s Impact: What Quattrii Could Change

• Fewer Inhalations: Larger doses delivered in one or two breaths reduce the burden on patients with already compromised lung strength.
• Less Irritation: With carriers held back, users experience fewer coughs and less throat discomfort.
• Better Drug Delivery: More active medicine reaches the deep lungs, improving therapeutic results.
• Wider Therapy Options: Low-potency drugs and new formulations become viable in inhaler form.
• System Efficiency: Less wasted medicine and smoother treatments can ease strain on healthcare systems and improve patient adherence.

These improvements do more than refine existing inhalers; they set the stage for a broader shift in respiratory care, one where treatments are not just available but designed to work better for patients’ daily lives.