About Impel

Impel NeuroPharma, Inc. is a Seattle-based company developing intranasal drug treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. We have developed a novel drug delivery platform, the POD™ technology, that administers drug to the deep nasal cavity to improve the biodistribution of many drugs. This innovation enables entirely new categories of drugs, including biologics, to be administered using a cost-effective, disposable, non-invasive intranasal drug delivery device.

Philosophy

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The goal at Impel is simple: we want to develop the next generation of therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Patients with CNS disorders are vastly underserved by current therapeutics and we are working hard to change that. Our POD™ nasal delivery platform is designed to deliver therapeutics into the deep nasal cavity. This form of administration may allow for an improvement in biodistribution and consistency compared to current delivery methods. Impel NeuroPharma is striving to use the POD™ system to develop improved drug-device combination products in underserved patient populations. We take a comprehensive approach to development and design considering patient comfort, regulatory approval pathways, and cost effectiveness. Treatments currently under development include therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, Migraine and Parkinson’s disease.

How it started

Impel was founded in Seattle by John Hoekman, Ph.D., Rodney Ho, Ph.D., and Michael Hite, MBA. At the University of Washington, Hoekman and Ho began researching the pharmacokinetics of drugs delivered to the upper nasal cavity. They discovered that targeting the upper nasal cavity could result in greatly improved drug distribution to the brain. At the same time, Hoekman began developing an intranasal device platform that could utilize this pathway and become commercially viable. Impel was founded in 2008 and spun out of the University of Washington in 2010. Impel has since developed the POD™ drug delivery platform and become a world leader in the development of nasally administered therapies for CNS disorders.