COPHIT - Computer Optimised Pulmonary Delivery in Humans of Inhaled Therapies
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COPHIT 
Computer-Optimised Pulmonary Delivery  
in Humans of Inhaled Therapies 
 
[Partners]
AEA Technology Areco Aventis University of Mainz INO Therapeutics GmbH University of Sheffield
CFX Areco Aventis Uni. of Mainz INO Therapeutics GmbH Uni. of Sheffield
           
           
Keywords  
[Progress/Results] Technical:  CFD, HPCN, Simulation
[Forthcoming Events] Uses: Respiratory Modelling, Drug Delivery, Aerosol Generation
[Publications] Industrial Applications: Healthcare, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical, Air Conditioning
[Project area]
 
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The consortium is developing a comprehensive simulation tool for the study of new lung treatments and drug delivery to the lungs. The new tool will enable rapid and effective development of inhalation therapies, diagnostic procedures and design of improved drug delivery devices, e.g. inhalers. End users will include pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers of drug-delivery devices. 

The project commenced in April 2000 and will be carried out over 30 months, bringing together a multidisciplinary consortium of simulation experts, fluid dynamicists, clinical scientists, clinicians and end users. Partners include the University of Sheffield, Air Refreshing Control, INO Therapeutics GmbH, Aventis Pharma and the University of Mainz. 
The structure of the simulation tool is a compartmental model strongly integrated with 3-D computational fluid dynamics in realistic airway geometries. These geometries are mainly derived from radiological data. The emphasis is on the simulation of transient multi-physics and multi-phase processes. Validation techniques include hyperpolarised Helium MRI and other gamma scintigraphy techniques. 

The model will represent the complete delivery process, from the medical device containing the agent, through any aerosolisation and entrainment into the gas stream, down the bronchial tree and ultimately across the alveolar membrane into the pulmonary arterial circulation. A key feature of the software will be the facility for end users to incorporate their own models into the compartmental code.