22 Jun 2020
New product has been designed to allow medication to be inhaled deep into the lungs of horses suffering severe asthma.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
The first inhaled treatment approved for horses suffering severe equine asthma is now available in the UK and Ireland.
Aservo EquiHaler, a ciclesonide inhalation solution from Boehringer Ingelheim, has been in development for more than 10 years and has involved collaboration between the firm’s animal health and human pharma divisions.
The latter’s Respimat inhaler technology, which uses the trademarked Soft Mist technology, has now been integrated into the Aservo EquiHaler, which will allow medication to be inhaled deep into an affected horse’s lungs.
Marc Laemmer, head of equine in the UK and Ireland, said: “It’s another industry first and is a strong indicator of the commitment that Boehringer Ingelheim has to the health and welfare of horses, and to the investment that we make into continuing to advance therapies through collaboration and innovation.
“We understand that a product launch in this challenging time for the veterinary profession may seem surprising, but we have had such strong demand from equine vets for the product that we have committed to making Aservo EquiHaler available.
“The launch is a prime example of leveraging innovation efforts of both our human and animal businesses. This has been a strength of ours and I’m excited that we are continuing to further increase the delivery of innovative solutions for horse owners and vets.”
Aservo EquiHaler’s active ingredient, ciclesonide, is a corticosteroid that is activated directly in the lung, reducing the lower airway inflammation associated with severe equine asthma and reducing the risks commonly seen with systemic corticosteroids.
The product has been manufactured from 50% recycled materials, and does not use a propellant, so does not feature harmful greenhouse gases.
Featuring an ergonomic handle and dosing lever for ease of user handling, as well as a nostril adaptor for the horse’s nostril, the product won the Red Dot Award for Product Design.
