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Inhaled Oxytocin: Addressing Challenges in Maternity Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Lambert PA, McIntosh M, Harker J.

RDD Asia 2024. Volume 1, 2024: 18-29.

Abstract:

Oxytocin is the first line therapy for both prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, the leading global cause of maternal mortality, which occurs overwhelmingly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Available only as a solution for injection requiring refrigerated storage, access to high quality products in LMICs is limited by the lack of reliable cold chain infrastructure, skilled healthcare workers at low resource birth settings and sterile needles and syringes. The development of a heat-stable inhaled oxytocin product offers the potential to overcome these issues and expand access to this life-saving medication.

The development program has progressed to Phase 2 based on an optimized device: formulation combination that demonstrates robust heat stability outside of the cold chain. Clinical proof-of-concept has been achieved through pharmacokinetic comparability to the intramuscular injection (IM) standard of care with no adverse safety signals. As a product with primary applicability to resource-poor settings in LMICs, the greatest challenge to future development is securing the required funding without a substantial financial return available to funders/investors. A coalition of impact-minded partners is sought to overcome this market failure and address this urgent global health challenge.