Case Study: Inhalytic
Inhalytic provides expert support in inhaled drug development, offering analytical testing and rapid prototyping for early-stage innovators.
Inhalytic is an analytical testing consultancy focused exclusively on early-phase inhaled drug delivery. Established at Discovery Park in 2020, the company was born from founder Frank Chambers’ simple desire for a lab bench to explore ideas. A highly experienced drug delivery chemist, Frank became an “accidental entrepreneur,” transforming his scientific curiosity into a thriving business. Since then, Inhalytic has grown rapidly, expanding both its team and technical capabilities.
Unlike traditional consultancies, Inhalytic embeds within project teams as a strategic partner, working with “companies and innovators that have the courage to challenge the norm”, developing simpler and more effective drug administration methods to meet patient’s needs. The company specialises in orally inhaled and nasal drug products (OINDPs), long used in the treatment of conditions like COPD or asthma. However, interest in inhaled treatments has quickly expanded, including in neurological disorders, where these drug types can surpass the blood brain barrier to improve onset speed and reduce dosage.
What Inhalytic aims to achieve
Inhalytic partners with early-stage pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Their ideal clients are small-scale pharma companies or visionary entrepreneurs who have secured investment and need expert support to bring their inhaled drug delivery concepts to life.
“OINDPs are tricky devices to master, often with complex device formulation interactions” explains Frank. A key example of their impact is their work with 1nhaler, a Scottish medical device company, in developing a sustainable and disposable inhaler. Inhalytic’s expertise spans across various inhalation delivery methods, including handheld inhalers, nebulisers, and respiratory devices. Their ability to provide flexible lab support, rapid prototyping, and industry-specific insights makes them invaluable to early-stage drug development projects.
Looking ahead, Inhalytic aims to expand their capabilities into additional areas of inhaled medicines, particularly in pain treatment for cancer, where inhaled medication can provide more effective treatment with fewer dosage increases compared to oral alternatives. They are also exploring potential synergies with Discovery Park tenant RS & RS in the development of inhalable lung cancer treatments.
The benefits of being based at Discovery Park
The Inhalytic team has benefited significantly from the collaborative environment at Discovery Park, engaging with fellow tenants such as Resolian, Particology, BioWaved and InCrest. These connections have provided valuable insights and potential partnership opportunities.
After witnessing the innovation within the Discovery Park’s onsite Eagle Labs, they invested in a 3D printer, which has been a game-changer for their prototyping process. Previously, testing new designs could take weeks, now they can rapidly prototype within days.
Discovery Park has also supported Inhalytic in their physical expansion, with the company undergoing three expansions in just four years. In Q2 2025, Inhalytic undertook their biggest expansion yet, doubling the size of their laboratory, allowing for specialised lab space for aerosol sample collection and controlled humidity and temperature inhaler performance tests. The support to scale flexibly and quickly within Discovery Park has been instrumental in maintaining project timelines and company growth.
Beyond infrastructure, Inhalytic has benefitted from the region’s strong talent pool, bringing the team to six scientists and adding three key recruits to their team in the past six months. This local expertise has strengthened their core team and positioned them well to support apprenticeships in the future.
“Discovery Park has supported Inhalytic from our early days in a small lab to now scaling into larger facilities. We’ve gained access to valuable growth and networking opportunities, alongside excellent on-site facilities. Just as importantly, we’ve joined a community of like-minded tenants who genuinely support and help each other. This has all contributed to our success, and we would highly recommend it to other start-ups.”
Future growth plans
As they continue to expand, Inhalytic is placing greater emphasis on business development and communicating their unique value proposition to potential clients and partners.
With their distinctive model – operating like a university lab within a commercial setting – they bring solid industry expertise. They understand when research is necessary and when it will no longer add value, helping clients avoid unnecessary costs and inefficiencies. This strategic approach sets them apart in the industry and positions them for continued success in advancing inhaled drug delivery solutions.
With ambitious plans for the future, Inhalytic is poised to drive further innovation in inhaled medicines, leveraging their expertise, strategic partnerships, and the supportive ecosystem at Discovery Park to make a lasting impact. A key commitment and focus area for Inhalytic is sustainability, supporting industry clients to make formulations as environmentally friendly as possible. As they scale and explore new solutions, they may also look to secure investment to support their growth and expand their capabilities even further.
