Distribution of inhaled drugs withing the lungs
How do drugs that are absorbed by inhalation and are supposed to be effective in asthma or COPD distribute themselves? Oliver Langer's team is now investigating this question in detail. A new project launched in summer 2023 at the University Department of Clinical Pharmacology is receiving support from the FWF.
Using PET imaging in an animal model, the influence of organic cation transporters in the lung epithelium on the lung distribution and elimination of the administered drugs will be investigated. The drugs in question are ipratropium bromide and formoterol.
The project is a continuation of an already completed project funded by the "Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung Niederösterreich" (project number: LSC17-009, project leader: Oliver Langer). In this project, we were able to measure the activity of ABC efflux transporters in the lung epithelium using PET for the first time.
The team is also pleased about the new partnership with Prof. Dr. Carsten Ehrhardt from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), who was already involved in the first project.
"Asthma and COPD are very common respiratory diseases. Knowing and understanding the distribution of the drugs in the lungs helps us to adapt or even further develop the therapy."