Low carbon pMDIs

Leading the transition

National and regional legislation changes designed to implement The Kigali Amendment across the globe mean that companies, including pMDI developers, must start transitioning toward alternative, more sustainable, propellants. 

The two most promising candidates are HFA-152a and HFO-1234ze(E). Their environmental impact is 100 times and 1,000 times lower than that of currently used propellants, respectively. 

Our globally-recognised Bespak components, including market leading valves, actuators and dose counters, have been optimised during more than five years of research and development, and are ready for testing with formulations incorporating both of the new sustainable propellants.

Manufacturing with HFO-1234ze

Solstice Advanced Materials Inc. Solstice® Air (HFO-1234ze(E) cGMP) is a hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) pMDI propellant in clinical development. Its GWP is 99.9% lower than that of the HFA propellants used in pMDIs today. Our partnership with Solstice Advanced Materials Inc. allows us to offer propellant release testing, optimised dosing valves and actuators, feasibility and product development services, as well as clinical and commercial supply of pMDIs containing this near-zero GWP propellant to customers, in a simplified pathway.

We are already manufacturing at commercial-scale at our Holmes Chapel site with HFO-1234ze(E) as part of the scale-up process to transition a key global pMDI product to a sustainable formulation, also utilising our next generation valve technology. We have one of the world’s very first manufacturing lines capable of handling this innovative propellant, and we’re on track for full commercial supply in 2025, subject to Regulatory approvals.

Manufacturing with HFA-152a

Zephex® 152a is a new medical propellant which will reduce the carbon footprint of a pMDI by 90% compared to existing HFA propellants. Following several years of research and development to optimise performance with HFA-152a, our dosing valves and actuators are on test with customers around the world as the next generation of sustainable formulations is developed. Our partnership with Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials, the manufacturer of HFA-152a has led to our engineering experts being at the forefront of driving industry understanding of how to manufacture with this choice of low GWP propellant.

Building on the successful performance of our componentry range with HFA-152a products in development, we also offer formulation and product development with this new sustainable propellant, being fully equipped to handle at laboratory scale at our Holmes Chapel R&D facilities.  And that’s not all - we have committed to having one of the world’s first manufacturing lines capable of handling HFA-152a, with validated commercial supply from 2027 to enable early compliance with evolving regional phasedown targets.

Why partner with Bespak?

Partnering with Bespak to reduce the carbon footprint of your pMDI portfolio guarantees access to our cutting-edge technologies and environmentally friendly solutions.

Our track record in developing eco-conscious products and our dedication to reducing environmental impact makes us an ideal partner for the development and manufacturing of environmentally friendly inhalers. We are fully capable and working hard to develop products that utilise low carbon, alternative propellants, such as HFA-152a and HFO-1234ze(E). In addition, our work at the forefront of container-closure system design means that whichever propellant you choose, our range of Bespak valves and actuators is ready to include in your feasibility and development programme.