- Aservo EquiHaler addresses an unmet need in the equine market
- Aservo EquiHaler (ciclesonide inhalation solution) is a result of synergies between human pharma and animal health businesses to make Soft Mist technology available for horses
- Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) continues to set new standards of care to strengthen its commitment to animal welfare
Equine Asthma is the most common respiratory disease in horses. It can have a significant impact on performance and quality of life for affected animals. Horses that suffer from severe equine asthma can now benefit from Aservo EquiHaler – the first inhaled treatment approved for use in horses.
The development of Aservo EquiHaler by BI Animal Health Research & Development team has taken over 10 years and has been the result of a collaboration with BI’s Human Pharma business, using their Respimat inhaler technology. The Respimat inhaler used in human respiratory disease is characterised by the Soft Mist technology, which was integrated into the new Aservo EquiHaler, allowing medication to be inhaled deep into the horses’ lungs. The active ingredient in the Aservo EquiHaler is ciclesonide, which 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 associated with systemic corticosteroids.
Dr Marc Laemmer, Head of Equine in UK & 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. Out team of territory managers and vet advisers will conduct remote meetings with customers to make sure that they have the information and support they require.
“The launch of Aservo EquiHaler 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.”
No harmful greenhouse gas emissions
With such an innovative new product, it is critical to not only consider the technology, but the sustainability too. As Aservo EquiHaler uses the same Soft Mist Technology in the human Respimat inhaler, it does not use a propellant, which means that using the device does not contribute to harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Aservo EquiHaler has been manufactured from up to 50 percent recycled materials – a real development for our market.
Awarded the Red Dot Award for outstanding design
Aservo EquiHaler includes an ergonomic handle and dosing lever for ease of user handling, and a nostril adaptor that fits gently inside the nostril of the horse, allowing them to easily inhale the medicated mist.
It is because of these particular design features that in April this year, Aservo EquiHaler was awarded the prestigious Red Dot Award for Product Design.
22 June, Aservo EquiHaler will be added to the exhibition “Design on Stage” in the Red Dot Design Museum, where all of the award-winning products are expected to be on display. The museum will be a hot spot for best-in-class industrial design. Aservo EquiHaler will also be presented in the online exhibition on the Red Dot website. The Red Dot Design Yearbook 2020/2021 comes out in July 2020.
