Advancements in Dry Powder Inhaler Technology: A Systematic Review of Device Design, Formulation Engineering, and the Emergence of Smart Inhalers

Advancements in Dry Powder Inhaler Technology: A Systematic Review of Device Design, Formulation Engineering, and the Emergence of Smart Inhalers | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Systematic Review Advancements in Dry Powder Inhaler Technology: A Systematic Review of Device Design, Formulation Engineering, and the Emergence of Smart Inhalers Whenayon Sanusi, Shabi Ibrahim, Abdul-hakeem Tijani, Aderemi Tobi, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471315/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) represent a critical advancement in pulmonary drug delivery, prized for their portability, propellant-free nature, and patient-centric design. The field is rapidly evolving through innovations in device engineering, powder formulation, and the integration of digital technologies. This systematic review investigate the recent evidence on these developments to provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art assessment. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between 2013 and 2023. Eligible studies reported on novel DPI designs, formulation technologies, or smart inhaler capabilities. Data were extracted from eight included studies and critically appraised for quality and relevance. Results The review identified significant advancements across three domains. (a) Device Design: Novel breath-actuated and active power-assisted DPIs demonstrated enhanced aerosolization efficiency and reduced reliance on patient inspiratory effort. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) were highlighted as crucial tools for optimizing device geometry. (b) Formulation Engineering: Particle engineering techniques, including novel carrier systems and engineered powders, improved aerodynamic properties, leading to superior lung deposition profiles and pharmacokinetics. (c) Smart Technologies: The emergence of digital inhalers with integrated sensors and microprocessors showed great potential for improving adherence, minimizing device-use errors, and enabling personalized medicine through data collection. Conclusion Recent advancements in DPI technology are multifaceted, addressing key challenges in drug delivery through innovative engineering and digitalization. While these developments promise to significantly improve therapeutic efficacy and patient outcomes, the review also notes a need for more standardized clinical studies to validate long-term benefits and facilitate widespread adoption. The future of DPI technology lies in the continued convergence of pharmaceutical science, engineering, and digital health. Dry Powder Inhaler Pulmonary Drug Delivery Inhalation Therapy Particle Engineering Smart Inhaler Metered-Dose Inhaler Nanoparticles Respiratory Diseases Formulation Engineering Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7471315","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Systematic Review","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":506580261,"identity":"ebe5bfed-7390-4bfc-96a7-7431d7c78d4a","order_by":0,"name":"Whenayon Sanusi","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABEUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCRiD+eCDAwwGDDL8IE5CATFa2JINQFp4JBtAWgyI1AKieIAagQCPFoPbzcce/GyzyeNnY2Y88KPAjsf4/OrEDw8MGOT5xQ5g13LnWLphb1tasWQbM8PBHoNkHrMbbzdLAB1mOHN2AlYtZjdyzCR42w4nbrjff+AwgwEzUMvZDSAtCQa3cWnJ/yb5F6TlGDMDUEs9j/GMs5t/4NeSwybNi9BymMeAv3cbXlvsb6SZScucS0ucCfHLcR6JG7zbLBIMJHD6RXJG8jPJN2U2if1szMwffvypluPvP7v55o8KG3l+aexawICRDZknAVYpgVUlAvxB5vAfIKB6FIyCUTAKRhoAAJZJYRysE1StAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Lagos State University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Whenayon","middleName":"","lastName":"Sanusi","suffix":""},{"id":506580262,"identity":"44fe69d0-a3ef-451d-8dfc-50f6837f7511","order_by":1,"name":"Shabi Ibrahim","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lagos State University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shabi","middleName":"","lastName":"Ibrahim","suffix":""},{"id":506580263,"identity":"7c260db4-409d-42eb-8395-1a737f04e49d","order_by":2,"name":"Abdul-hakeem Tijani","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lagos State University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Abdul-hakeem","middleName":"","lastName":"Tijani","suffix":""},{"id":506580264,"identity":"4272d001-f6a5-44ec-841e-c6e22cdbd68f","order_by":3,"name":"Aderemi Tobi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lagos State University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Aderemi","middleName":"","lastName":"Tobi","suffix":""},{"id":506580265,"identity":"d5e92ff9-bae4-4674-af37-c305a4fdc26a","order_by":4,"name":"Michael Ogunkoya","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lagos State Health Service Commission","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Michael","middleName":"","lastName":"Ogunkoya","suffix":""},{"id":506580266,"identity":"3dbaf52d-d15d-44c4-affc-513d0fb5ee90","order_by":5,"name":"David Fapohunda","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lagos State University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"David","middleName":"","lastName":"Fapohunda","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-27 11:53:12","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471315/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471315/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":99789911,"identity":"e13b34d6-6c01-433a-9d8a-b958bbadffdc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-08 12:51:00","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":607832,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Manuscript.SystematicReviewofDPIs.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7471315/v1_covered_6b882419-1042-46dc-b6f3-1ae270ab7cdf.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Advancements in Dry Powder Inhaler Technology: A Systematic Review of Device Design, Formulation Engineering, and the Emergence of Smart Inhalers","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Dry Powder Inhaler, Pulmonary Drug Delivery, Inhalation Therapy, Particle Engineering, Smart Inhaler, Metered-Dose Inhaler, Nanoparticles, Respiratory Diseases, Formulation Engineering, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471315/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471315/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDry powder inhalers (DPIs) represent a critical advancement in pulmonary drug delivery, prized for their portability, propellant-free nature, and patient-centric design. The field is rapidly evolving through innovations in device engineering, powder formulation, and the integration of digital technologies. This systematic review investigate the recent evidence on these developments to provide a comprehensive state-of-the-art assessment.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines across PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between 2013 and 2023. Eligible studies reported on novel DPI designs, formulation technologies, or smart inhaler capabilities. Data were extracted from eight included studies and critically appraised for quality and relevance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe review identified significant advancements across three domains. (a) Device Design: Novel breath-actuated and active power-assisted DPIs demonstrated enhanced aerosolization efficiency and reduced reliance on patient inspiratory effort. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) were highlighted as crucial tools for optimizing device geometry. (b) Formulation Engineering: Particle engineering techniques, including novel carrier systems and engineered powders, improved aerodynamic properties, leading to superior lung deposition profiles and pharmacokinetics. (c) Smart Technologies: The emergence of digital inhalers with integrated sensors and microprocessors showed great potential for improving adherence, minimizing device-use errors, and enabling personalized medicine through data collection.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecent advancements in DPI technology are multifaceted, addressing key challenges in drug delivery through innovative engineering and digitalization. While these developments promise to significantly improve therapeutic efficacy and patient outcomes, the review also notes a need for more standardized clinical studies to validate long-term benefits and facilitate widespread adoption. The future of DPI technology lies in the continued convergence of pharmaceutical science, engineering, and digital health.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Advancements in Dry Powder Inhaler Technology: A Systematic Review of Device Design, Formulation Engineering, and the Emergence of Smart Inhalers","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-29 12:12:16","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7471315/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"bc020fa3-44d4-4db4-8de4-78884bebd67e","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 29th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-05T01:23:58+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-29 12:12:16","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7471315","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7471315","identity":"rs-7471315","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}