PARI Aerosol Research Institute Receives Medical Design Excellence Award for eFlow Nebulizer
MONTEREY, Calif. — PARI Aerosol Research Institute was recently awarded a 2006 Medical Design Excellence Award for its electronic, handheld nebulizer, eFlow.
The Medical Design Excellence Awards, which will be presented in June at at the Medical Design & Manufacturing East Conference and Exposition, New York City, recognize the many engineers, scientists, designers and clinicians responsible for the groundbreaking innovations changing the way health care is delivered. MDEA winners are chosen based on excellence in product innovation, design and engineering achievement, patient benefits and cost-effectiveness in manufacturing and health care delivery. An impartial multidisciplinary panel of third-party jurors judges the entries and assigns the awards.
The portable eFlow was recognized for its efficient aerosolization of liquid medications via a vibrating, perforated membrane. eFlow can produce aerosols with a very high density of active drug, a precisely defined droplet size, and a high proportion of respirable droplets delivered in the shortest possible amount of time. Other features include its silent mode of operation, small size (it fits in the palm of your hand), light weight and battery use.
eFlow is licensed to pharmaceutical companies during drug development and for later commercialization so that drug and device are optimized together for the final product. This customization is currently being utilized in the development of new and improved treatments for cystic fibrosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
eFlow was developed by PARI and incorporates TouchSpray Technology licensed from the Technology Partnership, Cambridge, United Kingdom. eFlow?s shape was designed by Eckstein Product Design in Munich, Germany. Eckstein designs medical equipment, consumer and industrial goods and has also designed PARI?s portable and desktop compressor/nebulizer systems.
The awards are sponsored by Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry magazine.
This article originally appeared in the April 2006 issue of HME Business.