Asmair® inhaler wins GOOD DESIGN award 2007

Yet another Bang & Olufsen Medicom design scoops prestigious award

January 3, Copenhagen, Denmark

Bang & Olufsen Medicom, a leading supplier of drug delivery device solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, has announced that it has once again received a highly recognised international design award, the American GOOD DESIGN award 2007. Asmair® is a pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI), which has been developed for use within Asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Asmair® is designed by Medicom with great emphasis on ease of use (assisted firing of dose), safety (under counting- and misfire prevention and robust dose counter) and a contemporary non-medical appearance.

Founded in 1950, GOOD DESIGN is the world's oldest and most celebrated awards programme that bestows international recognition upon the best international designs. Among the hundreds of submissions from over 26 nations, the jury has chosen Asmair® among the awarded designs. Asmair® has been recognised in the “Medical Equipment” category for advancing new and innovative product concepts, as well as for its originality and consumer-friendly design.

Welcoming the award on behalf of Medicom is Paul Erik Fabricius, Manager of Concept Development; “We are very pleased that yet another Medicom design has been awarded by such a recognised design award. Asmair® is the benefit of our efforts within inhalation therapy during more than a decade, where we have aimed at providing users with tools to improve their treatment while creating emotional appeal and avoiding stigmatizing. The design award is a promising foundation for the commercialisation of Asmair® in 2008.”

Asmair® - outstanding design, intelligent device
A part from offering an elegant, discreet and non-medical design to the benefit of the user, Asmair® also offers an intelligent functional design, incorporating a number of key functionalities to provide ease of use and safety. Thus, Asmair® features an integrated single increment dose-counter that is easily monitored by the user, which keeps the patient aware of the remaining number of doses. In compliance with the FDA demand, the dose counter prevents under counting, which provides a high level of safety and reliability. Furthermore, Asmair® employs technology that reduces the actuation force by approx. 50%. This makes the device easy to use, also making it suitable for children and adults with impaired dexterity or reduced actuation force, thus allowing the user to focus on the co-ordination.

Design of mouthpiece, flow path and canister size can conveniently be adjusted without compromising vital functions, thus reducing time to market for the pharmaceutical company. Recently, the design of Asmair® has been developed to allow for further customisation, since the design is now easily applicable for canisters of 10, 12 and 14 ml.

Clear guidance to the user
Asmair® features an inhaler cap that is designed to prevent any accidental actuation, hence loss of medication due to misfired doses. Also, the cap contributes to the elegant and non-medical industrial design.

Furthermore, Asmair® also addresses one of the major problems within health care: the patient compliance issue. Poor patient compliance to (prescribed) medication is widely documented, but can be improved by using the optional compliance cap. The advanced compliance cap actively reminds the patients when to take their preventive medication, and it provides feedback on how well their treatment has been followed. This is an asset for educational or clinical purposes, and more importantly a great motivating factor for the user.

About GOOD DESIGN award
The GOOD DESIGN Award publicly acknowledges the world's most prestigious industrial design firms and manufacturers in over 20 countries. Learn more about the design award here.

About Bang & Olufsen Medicom
Medicom is a leading expert in the design, development and supply of innovative drug delivery device solutions and sensor based technologies. The current product range includes; inhaler platforms and services, tablet reminder and monitoring devices, and injection systems with a focus on patient compliance. We offer concept development, engineering and manufacturing services to clients, and options to license our intellectual property.

For more than a decade, Medicom has developed extensive expertise in the design, engineering and manufacture of Pressurised Metered Dose Inhalers (pMDIs) as well as dry powder inhalers (DPIs). This expertise includes substantial conceptual, regulatory and test services including pilot assembly lines via our in-house facilities, as well as large-scale manufacturing capabilities through our partners.

Working with clients and in tandem on our own development programmes has allowed us to establish a product range and develop several technology platforms. We offer flexible and fully-customisable solutions within a range of therapeutic areas, both as a disposable mechanical pMDI or as a reusable electronic pMDI - all with integrated dose-counting.

Contact
For more information/requests for interviews, please contact: Christian Husegaard, Vice President of Drug Delivery Services & Solutions, Bang & Olufsen Medicom +45 23 25 40 14 (mobile) or chg@medicomnordic.com  

For general information on B&O Medicom’s competences within inhalation and other product areas, please follow this link.