Edinburgh firm gets £2m boost for 'revolutionary' cardboard-based drug delivery device

A Scottish firm behind a “revolutionary” drug delivery device has had a £2 million boost as it looks to go global.

Don Smith, chief innovation officer and co-founder of Edinburgh-based 1nhaler. Picture: Jamie Williamson

Based in Edinburgh, 1nhaler was founded by Don Smith and Lisa McMyn in 2017. It has raised the capital to develop its single-use dry powder inhaler.

Inhalable medicines are already widely used to treat conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, allergies and Parkinson’s but, to date, delivery options have been limited due to user accessibility, cost, performance and impact on the environment. Inhalers are typically made from bulky plastic and can be expensive to manufacture and distribute.

The capital firm’s device is cardboard-based with the same dimensions as a credit card. Its platform technology includes a breathable membrane which can be tailored to deliver individual drugs to patients.

The funding round was led by Archangels with support from Yusuf Hamied, British Business Investments (BBI) and seed investors. Hamied, non-executive chairman of Indian pharmaceutical giant Cipla, is globally respected in the field pioneering the manufacture of affordable drugs for developing countries to fight AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Investment will allow 1nhaler to work with innovative companies around the world.

Co-founder and chief executive McMyn said: “Our dry powder inhaler has the potential to become the simplest, most convenient single-dose, disposable inhaler on the market, revolutionising the delivery of critical drugs, without the cost and environmental impact of existing devices. Securing funding from Archangels is invaluable for the next steps in the development. Their life sciences expertise and patient capital approach are exactly what we’re looking for in a funding partner.”

Sarah Hardy, director and head of new investments at Archangels, added: “Don, Lisa and the team at 1nhaler have developed a truly innovative technology platform with a clear route to market and opportunity to positively disrupt the status quo of single-dose medicine delivery. We’re proud to add it to our portfolio of Scotland’s leading life sciences and technology businesses and look forward to working with them to increase the availability of life-saving drugs affordably and sustainably.”

Operating for more than 30 years, Archangels’ investor members have invested some £160m in early-stage companies with disruptive technology, protectable IP and the potential to scale globally.