Press Room

DDL 2024 - Drug Delivery to the Lungs Conference

Start
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 08:00
End
Friday, December 13, 2024 - 17:00
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Booth Number: No. 168
Hovione is present at DDL Drug Delivery to the Lungs on December 2024, know more about the event and contact us to schedule a meeting

Hovione is excited to participate in the DDL Conference 2024, the Premier International Pulmonary & Nasal Drug Delivery Conference, from December 11-13 in Edinburgh.

Visit Hovione - Booth no. 168

Don't miss the opportunity to engage with our experts and learn more about our complete One-Site Solution that ensures that your inhalation and nasal therapies are engineered for success from start to finish.

 

Join Hovione Presentation 

 

Thursday 12 December | Session 5 | 15:05 – 15:20

Finalists of The Pat Burnell Young Investigator Award

Paper Title: In vitro-In vivo Correlations (IVIVC) of Amorphous Solid Dispersions for Nasal Delivery

Patrícia Henriques, Scientist, R&D Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

 

Abstract

Amorphous solid dispersions (ASD) for nasal delivery offer the opportunity to increase drug release performance, while using polymers with mucoadhesive properties. In spite of the current knowledge on formulation and characterization of nasal powders, scarce studies evaluate the potential of ASD. Additionally, the lack of translation between different in vitro methodologies and the lack of correlations between in vitro and in vivo results compromise the accurate and effective development of nasal powders. 

Herein, spray dried ASD were manufactured and evaluated regarding in vitro drug release, ex vivo permeation and in vivo pharmacokinetic profile in Wistar rats. The results showed that ASD obtained by spray drying are able to improve drug release and permeation, ultimately resulting in faster drug absorption. This indicates that ASD for nasal delivery of poorly soluble drugs could be a suitable strategy to provide a faster onset of action. Additionally, the in vitro-in vivo correlations (IVIVC) between in vitro/ex vivo and in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters (tmax, Cmax and AUC1h), support the use of Franz diffusion cells to study drug release and permeation of nasal powder formulations.

 

Key learnings:

  • ASD of poorly soluble drugs for nasal delivery are a suitable strategy to provide a fast onset of action;
  • In vitro-in vivo correlations (IVIVC) are a valuable tool to support the use of in vitro methodologies as well as to guide formulation and process development.

     

Join Hovione Posters 

Poster 81

Title: Dry Powder Antibody Formulations for Inhalation: Finding the Sweet Spot between High Dose and Protein Stability


Patrícia Henriques, Scientist, R&D Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

Poster 110

Title: Breaking New Ground on Nasal Powders Performance Characterisation: Formulation & Device Integration


António Serôdio, Analytical Scientist, R&D Projects

Special Poster - Pat Burnell Nominee, Strathblane Foyer

Title: In vitro - In vivo Correlations (IVIVC) of Amorphous Solid Dispersions for Nasal Delivery 


Patrícia Henriques, Scientist, R&D Inhalation and Advanced Drug Delivery

 

More about Inhalation and Nasal at Hovione

Find more about DDL 2024.

 

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Also in the Press Room

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In an interview with Executiva, a portuguese media outlet focused on women´s leadership, Diane Villax, co-founder and long-standing leader of Hovione, reflects on her journey and the company’s development over more than six decades. Diane Villax’s career began at a time when few women worked outside the home. At 19, she joined a trading company as a foreign languages correspondent, where she developed essential business skills — including commercial correspondence, banking and export procedures — that later proved instrumental in helping her husband, Ivan Villax, establish Hovione in 1959. From its earliest days operating in the family home in Lisbon, Hovione adopted an international outlook. The company’s first major customers were in Japan, setting demanding quality standards that helped shape its long-term position in global markets. Over the following decades, Hovione expanded its footprint with the construction of its first manufacturing site in Loures (1969), followed by expansion to Macau (1986), the United States (New Jersey, early 2000s) and Ireland (Cork). The company grew into a global organization with more than 2,500 employees — including over 300 scientists — and a reputation as a preferred supplier to leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Throughout the interview, Diane highlights the values that have guided the company’s development: a commitment to excellence, a strong work ethic, and a focus on quality and long-term relationships. Although she did not have formal business training, she learned “on the job” and brought discipline, precision and structure to her role — particularly in the company’s early financial and administrative leadership. Now in her nineties and an active member of Hovione’s Board of Directors, Diane Villax remains engaged with the company’s evolution and governance, reflecting a continued commitment to its long-term development. Her story reflects entrepreneurial drive, resilience and long-term leadership — and offers insight into the values that have shaped Hovione’s trajectory for more than six decades. Read the full interview at Executiva.pt (in portuguese).    

Article

Hovione’s Diane Villax: “I was not brought up to be a business woman”

Feb 23, 2026