These Three Finalists Will Vie For The $50K Prize In WashU Olin’s BIG IdeaBounce Pitch Contest

BIG IdeaBounce Finalist: Métopi

School Affiliation: University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Description:

Wearable, multi-pack prescriptible rescue inhalers designed to help the up to 87% of respiratory disease patients who have experienced a potentially life-threatening flare-up without access to their medication, while saving up to $500 per unit

Problem:

Globally, 545 million people suffer from respiratory diseases, and up to 474 million have experienced a potentially life-threatening flare-up without access to their rescue inhaler. This inaccessibility poses a serious threat to patient safety, causing users to express a strong need for multiple inhalers to keep in various locations for emergencies. However, insurance policies often limit patients to a single inhaler per prescription, citing concerns about medical waste, leaving many unprotected in critical moments. For those seeking additional inhalers, out-of-pocket costs can reach up to $500 per unit, making them unaffordable for many. Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health highlights that social stigma associated with public inhaler use contributes to non-adherence, especially among younger populations. Compounding these issues, the environmental impact of U.S. inhaler prescriptions is severe, generating emissions equivalent to those of over 400,000 American homes annually.

Solution:

For 70 years, the rescue inhaler has looked the same, despite user frustrations over accessibility and usability. However, Métopi is revolutionizing the inhaler industry with the Portahaler, the world’s first wearable, multi-pack prescriptible rescue inhaler, designed to attach seamlessly to a phone, wrist, keychain, or any object a user may find fit, ensuring they always have access to their rescue medication without a second thought. The Portahaler is smaller than a handheld eraser, making carrying a rescue inhaler non-invasive, ergonomic, and discreet. Each inhaler contains ~40 doses, allowing for a novel multi-pack prescription system of up to five units. This approach enhances user safety by enabling rescue inhaler placement in multiple locations, saving up to $500 per unit compared to traditional inhalers, and leveling the playing field no matter one’s financial situation. It also minimizes environmental impact by allowing the tailoring of prescriptions to user needs (e.g., 40, 80, or 200 doses), discouraging overuse by the ~30% of users who currently overuse their inhalers, giving it the potential to significantly reduce emissions.

Market:

Worldwide, these 545 million respiratory disease sufferers drive a $38.4 billion inhaler market, projected to grow to $66.5 billion by 2030. Approximately half of this global market consists of the rescue inhaler market, valued at $15.5 billion and expected to reach $27.9 billion by 2030. In the U.S., the inhaler market currently stands at $14.2 billion, and its respective rescue inhaler market is around $6.4 billion.

Initially delivering albuterol, a short-acting bronchodilator, the Porthaler is being designed for a market launch in the rescue inhaler segment. Albuterol prescriptions represent approximately 70% of all inhaler prescriptions, providing a strong strategic entry point into the market. In the U.S., prescription rates for albuterol have risen alongside the growing prevalence of respiratory diseases, increasing from 46 million in 2011 to 61.47 million in 2021, highlighting increasing demand. The Portahaler, however, is a platform delivery device, meaning it has the capabilities to deliver a variety of drugs and expand into the larger total inhaler market.

Target customers include all sufferers, but specifically active individuals, who prioritize portability and comfort. Additionally, younger demographics are drawn to its sleek, customizable design, which blends functionality with aesthetics. These users could have a variety of respiratory conditions including, asthma, COPD, and acute infections like pneumonia or bronchitis. Once again, our prescription models allows for the tailoring of dose amounts to the duration of the condition, encouraging adoption for those with non-chronic infections.

Competition:

Our competition includes products like ProAir RespiClick by Teva, Ventolin by GSK, AirSupra by AstraZeneca, and various generics. For the past 7 decades, these companies have focused primarily on innovating the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) rather than the delivery device itself, such as AirSupra’s recent combination formulation. However, despite its pharmacological innovation, AirSupra retains the traditional, bulky L-shaped inhaler design, offering no improvement in accessibility.

At Métopi, we take a different approach by prioritizing the inherently faulty delivery method rather than just the API. While the efficacy of rescue inhaler drugs is undisputed, as inhaler users ourselves, we recognize a critical gap in how these life-saving devices are carried and accessed. Our focus stems directly from this shared experience within the inhaler-using community, where the most significant pain point communicated is not the drug’s effectiveness, but the practicality of having it readily available at all times. This user-driven insight has guided the development of the Portahaler, a solution designed to ensure rescue medication is always within reach.

As a result, the Portahaler will be the first compact, wearable rescue inhaler on the market significantly improving accessibility and safety. This assumption is backed up by the user and provider insights mentioned in the “Solution” section, which is clear evidence our innovations directly address major patient pain points.

When comparing costs, the Portahaler also provides significant advantages as well. It will cost $30-$60 for up to five units, compared to competitors like Airsupra who cost up to $470+ for just one additional unit, which limits safety for many users. The Portahaler’s never-before-seen flexible dosing options (e.g., 40, 80, to 200 doses) will allow users to only purchase or be prescribed what they need, also helping to limit costs significantly. Additionally, by reducing overuse and over-prescription, less medication will be used, potentially providing insurance companies with significant long-term savings while improving patient outcomes.

Compounding these benefits, by addressing overuse with its prescription model, the Portahaler will be the first respiratory treatment designed to directly reduce emissions from traditional inhalers and combat global warming.

Value Creation:

Métopi’s business model ensures both financial sustainability and measurable social impact. By adopting a B2B2C licensing strategy, we plan to partner with an established pharmaceutical company once the Portahaler nears or achieves FDA approval. This approach allows us to focus on R&D and API expansion while leveraging our partner’s infrastructure to accelerate market entry, minimize regulatory and commercial risk, and optimize distribution.

From a financial perspective, similar licensing deals indicate strong revenue potential. Kaleo’s $330 million licensing agreement with Sanofi for the Auvi-Q auto-injector in the U.S. and Canadian markets demonstrate the viability of this model. We anticipate a comparable deal structure for the Portahaler, including an upfront payment of 10-30% of the total deal value, milestone-based payments, and ongoing royalties of ~5%. The success of recent inhaler market entrants, such as Airsupra, which generated $28 million in sales within the first six months post-launch, underscores the potential for strong revenue generation.

Beyond financial sustainability, the Portahaler delivers significant social and environmental impact. It directly addresses gaps in rescue inhaler accessibility, potentially reducing asthma-related deaths, which exceed 3,600 annually in the U.S., by ensuring patients always have access to life-saving medication. The device also offers financial relief, lowering monthly costs for users by improving accessibility and efficiency. Furthermore, the Portahaler is designed to reduce waste and emissions, contributing to environmental sustainability by minimizing inhaler overuse.

This combination of financial viability, patient safety improvements, and environmental responsibility makes the Portahaler a compelling and scalable solution, ensuring long-term sustainability in the market.

The Team:

Our core team includes founders Miles Lanham and Rohan Bansal, along with executives Benjamin Joseph and Evan Burita.

Miles Lanham – Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2027

Rohan Bansal – MBA, Class of 2024, specializing in life sciences

Benjamin Joseph – Biology, Class of 2027

Evan Burita – Economics, Class of 2027

Although our advisors are not part of our core team and cannot pitch with us, they play a crucial role in our success and further validate our company’s potential. Our advisory board includes Evan Edwards (co-inventor of the Auvi-Q), Jim Daniero (NIH-funded scientist and serial entrepreneur), Larry Borish (NIH-funded asthma researcher), and Blair Okita (life science process development and quality management expert). Their expertise is instrumental in guiding the Portahaler’s development, commercialization, and regulatory strategy.