Breathing difficulties are an issue that affects millions of people every day, all around the world. It might be short-term, such as asthma, or long-term, including COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Severe lung problems can make it difficult for an individual to enjoy their daily activities. Recent advancements in technology and the latest respiratory therapy devices have made it possible for physicians to treat patients with breathing issues.

Home respiratory therapy remains highly in demand amid the covid-19 pandemic. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown, demand for home respiratory care services increased. Due to a shortage of ventilators and oxygen cylinders in hospitals, patients preferred ventilators and oxygen therapy at home. However, the requirement for oxygen therapy and monitoring devices was unfulfilled due to imposed lockdown in numerous parts of the world. As a result, there was a demand-supply gap, which impeded the expansion of the home respiratory therapy industry. During the initial days of the pandemic, a surge in demand pushed major companies to upgrade their production operations. 

The growing occurrence of respiratory disorders and chronic conditions with respiratory dysfunction, recent technical advancements, and an aging population drive the growth of the global therapeutic respiratory devices. Furthermore, the growing use of respiratory function regulators, including humidifiers, nebulizers, and oxygen concentrators in critical hospital environments, is expected to aid the demand for these devices in the market. According to Allied Market Research, the global therapeutic respiratory devices market is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR from 2022 to 2029.

Meeting the growing demand in Indian market

Following the market demand, market players were developing innovative products. At the end of last year, Cipla launched Spirofy in India, a portable, wireless device that is capable of conducting lung function tests outdoors and in distant locations, with the vision of better diagnosing those patients suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma. According to the company, this device is the first of its kind in India and is built to help diagnose lung problems easier.

Cipla has been focussed consistently on solving the world's increasing load of respiratory diseases, and the company is steadily progressing to fight chronic respiratory ailments like COPD with this launch. This Spirofy launch intends to assist doctors around the country in providing accurate and affordable diagnoses to their patients.

The rising number of COVID-19 cases overburdened the medical industry, specifically during the first and second waves of the pandemic. Leading players adopted strategic partnerships to develop effective medical devices to serve covid patients. Max Ventilator has joined forces with Amptron Medical Healthcare to develop a high-performance High Flow Oxygen Therapy (HFOT) device for Covid patients. Max ventilator has entered into a technical partnership contract with Amptron Medical, a respiratory technology firm based in the US, in an effort to grow globally. This strategic alliance demonstrates India's top ventilator company's commitment to developing world-class life-saving breathing machines and a few other medical products that meet international requirements and certifications.

Another couple of Indian firms are launching new respiratory devices to aid patients with breathing difficulties. Alkem Laboratories, based in Mumbai, has recently launched Innohaler, a DPI gadget designed to make Asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients' lives easier. Alkem is preparing to address the gap in access to respiratory disease treatment in India and has taken a giant step forward in the pulmonology vertical with the launch of innohaler. 

Another eye-catching invention in the Indian market is the single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT), Trelegy Ellipta, launched by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals for COPD patients. Compared to multi-inhaler triple therapy, single-inhaler Trelegy Ellipta treatment results in significantly more patients with improved health status and more lung benefits in standard clinical care with similar safety profiles. Trelegy is given via the unique Ellipta inhaler, which provides precise dosing with its consistent dose delivery mechanism and requires less inhaler training than other regularly used inhalers.

COVID-19 impact

Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of pharmaceutical, healthcare, and biotechnology companies have focussed on treatment therapies, diagnostic kits, face shields, PPE kits and masks, novel coronavirus treatment methods, and drugs. R&D labs were working to develop a breakthrough vaccine against the novel coronavirus. In addition, medical practitioners were engaged in providing COVID-19-related services, resulting in negligence in other healthcare segments. 

Furthermore, patients with bronchitis or other respiratory disorders must take extra precautions because bronchitis is one of the conditions listed under COPD and has a significant risk of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2, making the situation worse. Patients with respiratory problems and other chronic illnesses were becoming more vulnerable, resulting in an increase in demand for breathing devices as a result of the ongoing epidemic.