By: Cindy H. Dubin, Managing Editor

The global inhalable drug market is expected to jump from $43 billion this year to almost $71 billion by 2033.1 The market is being driven by a rising prevalence in respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD as inhaled drugs allow for direct delivery to the lungs. Additionally, inhalation drug delivery acts as a non-invasive route for biologics, mRNA therapies, and systemic drugs for diabetes management, pain control, and vaccines.

For its part, the global nasal drug delivery market was valued at almost $75 billion in 2023 and could more than double to $151 billion by 2033.2 Nasal drug delivery technology refers to the method of drug administration through the nose, which allows drugs to be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. This route of administration avoids the digestive system and the liver, where drugs may be degraded or metabolized. Since the nasal cavity is provided with a rich blood supply and has a great surface area, the rate of absorption for the drugs from the route is very fast, consequently acting quicker than that from oral delivery. Technology is used most in the administration of decongestants and pain relievers, and treatment for migraine and epilepsy among others. Nasal delivery shows promise for vaccines, hormone treatments, and pharmaceuticals for chronic diseases such as diabetes.2

Inhalation Delivery Could Rescue Orphaned Drugs

At the recent BIO International Convention 2026, the viability of inhalation delivery beyond respiratory disease was on full display. Researchers at the Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform (WADDP) are developing an inhalable nanosystem designed to deliver tuberculosis (TB) medications directly to the site of infection in the lungs. The technology uses a biocompatible nanocarrier to encapsulate the four standard TB drugs – rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide – in a single formulation. By delivering medicine directly into the respiratory tract, the system is engineered to bypass the liver and bloodstream, reduce drug loss, and increase local concentration in the lung tissue. The research team is now working to translate these early results into real-world clinical use. The company is also developing inhaled treatments for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), an inhaled GLP-1 formulation for diabetes and obesity, an inhaled synthetic cannabidiol (CBD) formulation for the aggressive brain cancer Glioblastoma, and has initiated a Phase 1 trial in January for an inhaled CBD candidate targeting Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis.

Transpire Bio is targeting its pitch to pharma partners with the potential to rescue struggling oral drug candidates. Poor absorption, rapid degradation in the liver, or the need for doses may prevent a viable therapy from moving forward. By reformulating a drug for inhalation, it may be possible to bypass these obstacles entirely. Delivering a compound directly to the lungs for systemic absorption can dramatically improve its bioavailability and safety profile. The concept has already been proven with products like MannKind’s Afrezza for inhaled insulin, and inhaled levodopa Inbrija for Parkinson’s disease.3

Primary inhalation delivery technologies include dry powered inhalers (DPIs), nebulizers, soft mist inhalers (SMIs), and pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs). The latter just reached a milestone. CDMO Kindeva introduced the first pMDI 70 years ago this past March, and the device inventors (Kindeva alumni George Maison, Irving Porush, and Charles Thiel) were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame this past May.

At the recent RDD 2026 conference, Bespak explored one of the biggest challenges facing the industry today: how to reduce the carbon footprint of pMDIs while maintaining the performance. Tony Mallet, Platform Development Group Manager, says that while much of the industry focus to date has centered on the transition to low Global Warming Potential (GWP) propellants, Bespak is exploring how the pMDI valve has a significant role to play in a broader net-zero strategy. A central focus was Bespak’s BK357 valve, which has been developed to work with next-generation propellants while retaining dose consistency, low leakage and ‘drop-in replacement’ compatibility.

In this ebook, Bespak engineers explain that choosing a propellant is on the first step in developing pMDIs. They explain how the company is using computational simulation to reduce risk and accelerate decision-making across the full pMDI lifecycle. Also in this ebook, you will hear how Aptar Pharma is ensuring high-payload pulmonary delivery of complex and high-value therapies with its DPI platform.

Reformulating Into Nasal Sprays

Nasal spray repurposing through the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway has emerged as a way to give new life to existing drugs. According to LTS Lohmann Therapie-Systeme AG, reformulating existing drugs for intranasal delivery can unlock a range of benefits: improved patient compliance and convenience; enhanced efficacy and safety; and rapid onset of action. A prime example of the latter is Neffy, the first nasal spray approved by the FDA for severe allergic reactions.

A driving force behind the rise of nasal spray repurposing is the advancement of formulation technologies, such as penetration enhancers. By increasing drug absorption across the nasal mucosa, penetration enhancers can improve drug bioavailability and therapeutic potential. As a result, penetration enhancers are enabling the delivery of APIs that might have previously been considered unsuitable for nasal administration due to poor absorption or rapid clearance.4

However, there are hurdles to nasal drug delivery, such as low administrable volumes, rapid mucociliary clearance, and degradation of biologics by nasal enzymes.5 In this ebook, MedPharm discusses its strategies for overcoming such obstacles and developing successful nasal delivery formulations.

Successful intranasal administration is putting a spotlight on the difference between nose-to-brain delivery (N2B) versus blood-brain-barrier (BBB) transporter approaches. N2B is designed to achieve high, localized concentration peaks in the brain by leveraging short neural diffusion pathways and enabling rapid onset of action for highly potent compounds. According to Aptar, success depends on engineering the delivery system to consistently reach upper-nasal regions linked to the olfactory and trigeminal pathways. In this ebook, Aptar explores why N2B delivery is attracting renewed interest in CNS development.

References

1. Global Inhalable Drugs Market Size and Share Analysis-Growth Trends and Forecasts (2026-2033), Coherent Market Insights, April 27, 2026.
2. Global Nasal Drug Delivery Technology, Market Size, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, Spherical Insights, July 2025.
3. Transpire Bio’s High-Stakes Pitch: Inhaling the Future of Drug Delivery, BriefGlance.com, June 18, 2026.
4. Repurposing approved therapies as nasal sprays, LTS Lohmann Therapie-Systeme AG, June 28, 2026.
5. Editorial: Intranasal Drug Delivery: Challenges and Opportunities, Fortuna, Ana et. al., National Institutes of Health, March 2, 2022.