1nhaler raises £1.5m to advance its credit-card-sized single-dose inhaler
This article covers 1nhaler, an Edinburgh-based drug delivery device developer and life sciences start-up, which has raised £1.5m in additional seed funding to progress a paper-based dry powder inhaler toward regulatory submission. The funding will support manufacture of clinical material, regulatory studies and development of large-scale commercial manufacturing, affecting patients, pharmaceutical partners, manufacturers and the UK life sciences sector.
1nhaler, an Edinburgh-based drug delivery device developer, has raised £1.5 million in additional seed funding to progress a paper-based dry powder inhaler toward regulatory submission. The round will fund manufacture of clinical material, regulatory studies and work on large-scale commercial manufacturing, with a first Marketing Authorisation Application targeted for late 2027 — a timetable that matters for patients, manufacturers and the UK life sciences sector alike.
Why it matters
Inhalable medicines are widely used for conditions from asthma and COPD to some emergency and neurological indications. Current inhaler options can be costly, bulky and use plastics or propellants with a climate footprint. 1nhaler’s single-dose dry powder inhaler is designed to be low-cost, portable and largely cardboard-based, which the company says could reduce environmental impact and simplify distribution for single-dose therapies.
The company reports performance data for its lead product that it says is comparable with leading multidose dry powder inhalers, and it is in discussions with pharmaceutical partners across multiple therapeutic areas. If the device can be validated in clinical and regulatory studies, it could offer an alternative delivery format for both existing and new inhaled drugs.
Inside the product
1nhaler’s device starts as a flat, credit-card-sized piece of cardboard and, via a patent-protected membrane-based mechanism, transforms into a three-dimensional single-use inhaler for the patient. It is propellant free and intended as a single-dose, disposable device.
The current funding will support manufacture of clinical material needed for regulatory studies and the design of large-scale commercial manufacturing processes as the company aims for a Marketing Authorisation Application in late 2027.
Manufacturing partnerships are already in place: Upperton is contracted for clinical manufacture and Harro Höfliger is working on large-scale manufacturing process development. These partnerships are significant because scaling from prototype to GMP clinical supply and then to industrial production often requires different expertise and regulatory controls.
Founder perspective
1nhaler was founded by Don Smith and Lisa McMyn and is led by McMyn as chief executive. The leadership team includes industry veterans such as Chief Scientific Officer Helen Muirhead, formerly head of the Respiratory Centre of Excellence with development responsibility for GSK’s Diskus and Ellipta inhalers, and Jane Gaddum, ex-AstraZeneca vice president for emerging brands, who joined last year as board chair and non-executive director.
In the announcement, Lisa McMyn, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at 1nhaler, said:
This additional funding represents strong continued confidence in our technology platform and our progress towards commercialisation. The support from Archangels, Scottish Enterprise and BBB Investments is enabling us to advance our clinical and manufacturing capabilities as we work towards regulatory approval.
Our platform has the potential to become the simplest, most convenient single-dose, disposable inhaler on the market, transforming the delivery of inhalable drugs without the cost and environmental impact of existing devices.
### Who's backing the round
Who’s backing the round
The £1.5 million seed round was led by Archangels, with participation from Scottish Enterprise and BBB Investments. The new funds follow an earlier £2 million raise in 2023 that was also led by Archangels.
In the announcement, Dr Sarah Hardy, Director and Head of New Investments at Archangels, said:
We’re delighted to continue supporting 1nhaler as they make good progress towards bringing their disruptive technology platform to market. The team has demonstrated strong technical validation and is building meaningful commercial partnerships across multiple therapeutic areas.
1nhaler’s more sustainable approach to drug delivery addresses a critical need in healthcare, and we’re excited to support the next stage of their journey towards regulatory approval and commercialisation.
In the announcement, Derek Shaw, Director of Entrepreneurship and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, said:
1nhaler is a great example of the kind of world-class innovation we want to see scale from Scotland.
Their technology combines cutting-edge design with sustainability, addressing global healthcare needs while reducing environmental impact.
This investment will help accelerate 1nhaler’s journey towards international markets and commercial manufacturing, reinforcing Scotland’s position as a leader in life sciences and health innovation.
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The bigger picture
1nhaler’s funding round sits at the intersection of two trends in the UK and European life sciences sector: interest in sustainable device design and continued focus on alternative delivery formats that can broaden patient access or lower treatment costs. Moving from prototype performance to regulatory approval and industrial-scale manufacture will require robust clinical evidence and validated production lines, which the company is now funding and partnering to build.
The outcome will be watched by drug developers considering device-led formulations, manufacturers assessing new production methods and policymakers pushing for lower-carbon health technologies. Progress toward a 2027 MAA would put 1nhaler on a multi-year path that, if successful, could influence how single-dose inhaled medicines are delivered across the UK and Europe.
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