Research & Development

UK-based subsidiary of Lupin Limited, Lupin Healthcare, has announced the UK launch of its carbon-neutral pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDI) for the treatment of adult and paediatric patients with asthma.

The inhaler, Beclu (beclometasone dipropionate), is available in both 100 micrograms (mcg) and 200mcg, with Beclu 100 indicated for adults and children and Beclu 200 indicated solely for adult use.

This launch is intended to provide cost savings for the NHS, as well as being a certified carbon-neutral inhaler due to the company’s carbon offsetting. Currently, around 5.4 million people in the UK are receiving asthma treatments, equalling one in every 12 adults and one in every 11 children, which places a burden of approximately £3bn on the NHS each year.

The company has undertaken an independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by Carbon Footprint Ltd, which calculated the carbon footprint of all Beclu inhalers sold in the UK, allowing it to ensure that it can offset this footprint. This makes Beclu pMDI the only carbon-neutral beclometasone dipropionate pMDIs currently available.

Ben Ellis, general manager at Lupin Healthcare, commented: “This additional pMDI launch demonstrates Lupin’s commitment to respiratory and to delivering value to the NHS. Whilst carbon reduction is core to our longterm carbon reduction plan, providing this carbon-neutral product we believe demonstrates our environmental commitments.”