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A trial into the use of a digital inhaler in children is starting in the UK

Posted on by darion

Adherium’s Hailie device is used in conjunction with prescribed inhalers to remotely monitor a patient. Source: roman023 via Shutterstock.

A study funded by the National Health Service (NHS) has begun in the UK to see if using a smart inhaler will prevent asthma flare-ups in children.

Manufactured by respiratory e-health company Adherium, the Hailie device can be attached to a child’s prescribed inhaler. Monitors inhalation use and technique and provides feedback to the child and family via a smartphone app. It can also transmit information to the child’s medical team through an online portal, allowing them to monitor in real time.

The 300-patient study will enroll children aged 5-16 with high-risk asthma in Leicester, UK, and examine whether the Hailie device prevents asthma attacks, also known as exacerbations, in children. The study, which has already started monitoring patients, will measure asthma control using reliever medications, a symptom questionnaire and the number of exacerbations.

Helicon Health, a spin-off from University College London, will implement and support digital inhalers in collaboration with the University of Leicester. The research is also supported by £499,871 from the Small Business Research Initiative Healthcare (SBRI Healthcare), an NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative initiative.

Study leader Erol Gaillard said: “We know that many people with asthma have difficulty taking their medicines regularly as prescribed. This study is a huge joint effort between the NHS, a university, a charity and the health technology industry to show how devices like Hailie can help to better control asthma and prevent children from being admitted to hospital.”

According to a report published by the GlobalData Pharma Intelligence Center, in 2027 there will be 271 million cases of asthma worldwide. Of these, 44 million were diagnosed in the UK.

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The Hailie Smart Inhaler is approved for use with several different inhalers. Last month, the smart inhaler received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in conjunction with AstraZeneca’s Airsupra and Breztri inhalation devices. Airsupra is the first FDA-approved rescue drug for asthma, and Breztri is a triple combination drug for COPD patients. In August 2022, the inhaler was approved for use in combination with GlaxoSmithKline’s Ellipta inhaler.

There is constant innovation in the field of asthma, especially for children with the disease. In March 2024, UK company TidalSense announced a new pilot study to evaluate the N-Tidal device for testing respiratory diseases such as asthma in children. The CO₂ measurement device uses capnography instead of spirometry.