If the development of Liquidia Technologies’ LIQ-861 dry powder inhaled formulation of treprostinil, indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is successful, the drug will likely be favored by patients and physicians as it will likely increase patient compliance, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Kajal Jaddoo, MSc, Associate Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “LIQ-861 may be a more convenient treatment as it is formulated to deliver the maximum dose with one to two breaths from a small, palm-sized inhaler – in comparison to nine breaths from Tyvaso’s nebulized treprostinil. If the drug’s development is successful, LIQ-861 will have an edge over other already established marketed treprostinil drugs, namely United Therapeutics’ Orenitram, Remodulin, and Tyvaso.

“The process of inhaling Remodulin is cumbersome, as it takes 5–10 minutes and includes both assembling and cleaning the device. Since Orenitram (an oral formulation of Remodulin) is an oral tablet taken two to three times per day, patients can experience increased severe prostacyclin-like side effects such as gastrointestinal issues.”

LIQ-861 is based on the company’s novel PRINT technology, which enhances deep-lung drug delivery. Treprostinil acts as prostacyclin receptor agonist. The drug candidate assists in the direct vasodilation of the pulmonary and systemic arterial vascular beds and helps the inhibition of platelet aggregation. Activation of prostacyclin receptors results in the vasodilatation of human pulmonary arteries, inducing a beneficial pulmonary vasorelaxant effect.

Jaddoo concludes: “Key opinion leaders interviewed by GlobalData have emphasized that current therapies have not shown dramatic benefits in patients and survival rates remain disappointing. Therefore, LIQ-861 represents a more convenient, low-toxicity option for PAH treatment.”

The FDA is expected to make a decision on whether LIQ-861 will receive approval for PAH in November 2020.