SweDeliver Dissertation • Anna Simonsson

Within the framework of the SweDeliver national competence center, research in aerosol drug delivery has advanced at Uppsala University's Faculty of Pharmacy. This progress has been further strengthened by Anna Simonsson's PhD work, which provides new insights for formulating mechanically stable adhesive mixtures with high drug concentrations.

The work is based on the fact that aerosol drug delivery via dry powder inhalers is constrained because the drug's deposition in the lungs is controlled by complex interactions between the drug, the carrier, and the structure of the mixture, which complicates the prediction and optimisation of dispersion and dose delivery.

This thesis shows that the structure of the adhesive layer that surrounds the carrier, described by the mixing state, systematically affects the mechanical properties and the ability of the mixture to disperse. Simonsson's work also demonstrates that these relationships are influenced by both the properties of the drug and the carrier, as well as processing and choice of inhaler.

Simonsson's findings add valuable knowledge in optimising the formulation and production of aerosol-delivered drugs, increasing the possibility to administer an effective drug dose.

Researcher bio

Anna Simonsson is a pharmacist, receiving her Master of Science in Pharmacy at Uppsala in 2015. Anna wrote her master thesis in pharmacognosy at London's School of pharmacy, and has worked as a pharmacy manager in both Norway and Sweden. In October 2020 Anna was recruited as PhD student to the Pharmaceutical Physics research group at Uppsala University.