Hitting the Mark: The Real Measure of Precision Olfactory-to-Brain Delivery
Author: Sohier Hall, President, Rocket Science Health
In 2026, the intranasal drug delivery community is awakening to the vast potential of nose-to-brain drug delivery. Industry specialists may herald this novel route of administration, but many of the most important details are lost in the marketing speak and ambiguous terminology being tossed about, especially when applying traditional intranasal device concepts to this new route of administration.
Here we address the fundamental aspects of the topic, starting with the very notion of what precision nose-to-brain delivery actually is, why it matters, and what is required to achieve it. We conclude with a forward-looking view on strategic developments that will intertwine the innovative spirit of formulations experts with device developers for years to come.
A Primer on the Olfactory-to-Brain Drug Delivery Pathway
For drug therapeutics to achieve efficacy for brain related conditions — from CNS, to mental health — the drug has to reach the right target in the brain. The problem: our brains are really good at protecting themselves from outside invaders. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) blocks approximately 98% of small molecules and virtually all large molecules from reaching it via the bloodstream - think injectables and oral administration. The pharmaceutical industry's response has been to spend tens of billions engineering ways to force drugs through that barrier — with a staggeringly high failure rate, and little consideration of alternative approaches.
The olfactory pathway is a new route to the brain. Way up in our noses, seemingly out of reach beyond our complex lower nasal anatomy, there is a small doorway. The olfactory epithelium in the upper nasal cavity contains neurons whose axons pass directly through the skull and connect to the brain — unimpeded by the BBB. This is the only location in the human body where the external environment is in direct neuronal contact with the central nervous system. Drug deposited precisely at the olfactory cleft travels along these pathways to the brain, without systemic overexposure, and in many cases without a clinic visit. It can be self-administered at home. Make no mistake, this pathway is not a silver bullet. But it offers pharmaceutical companies and patients a promising opportunity for critical drug treatments to work.
The olfactory cleft is a small target at the ceiling of the nasal cavity and provides a doorway to the brain.
At Rocket Science Health (RSH) we concern ourselves with the full end-end drug delivery pathway. This article focuses on one of the major bottlenecks which is especially important for a device company in this arena: getting the bulk of the drug therapeutic dose from the drug container into the olfactory cleft in a way that is easy for the person to do, especially those with physical or cognitive challenges. The delivery must be precise and repeatable.
In the remainder of this article we will refer to this pathway as olfactory-to-brain, rather than nose-to-brain, to emphasize the critical role the olfactory plays.
What is Precision Olfactory-to-Brain Delivery?
A lot of device companies are throwing this concept around. So let’s unpack it. Precision delivery implies a sense of exactness or accuracy in the deposition of a therapeutic dose to its target site. All in all this is a highly desirable property for any therapeutic delivery system, and yet despite its promise, the olfactory-to-brain pathway presents a unique set of challenges. One of the first obstacles is the inherent difficulty faced by people with limited mobility and cognitive impairment when it comes to correctly grasping, positioning, and actuating a device. The challenge is compounded by anatomical complexity and variability within the nose. To date, intranasal delivery devices have not been effective at overcoming these hurdles.
How is Precision Olfactory-to-Brain Delivery Achieved?
Rocket Science Health has conquered the precision delivery problem through three key enablers. These enablers are: a patient-centric design focus, the vantage point, and optimal fluidics, as we now discuss.
Key Enabler 1: Human Factor — A Patient-Centric Design
The first step to achieving precision olfactory deposition is to understand end-user needs and make them central to every design decision. Accommodations for a weak grip or limited mobility are a must, and eliminating the dexterity required to trigger a discharge is a game-changing innovation. Beyond that, the device’s overall look and feel must also reinforce proper use and encourage adherence. Stable, repeatable placement of the dispensing tip is an imperative. We constantly ask, will this feature translate into effective outcomes? Can people with limited mobility or cognitive disorders consistently self-administer their prescriptions with it? Will the look and feel of the device confuse or enable? Is it a better human experience to simultaneously dose both nostrils once, or have to squirt a dose once in each nostril sequentially?
These questions demand careful consideration of the target end-user profile, and above all else, extensive testing. It is true — the Rocket Science Health device is designed for people with 2 nostrils. The novel nasal inserters fit comfortably like a plug-in-a-socket so correct device positioning and actuation is natural and results in repeatable, accurate deposition.
Effective human factors design elements empower patients.
Key Enabler 2: The Vantage Point — Line of Sight to the Olfactory
The second key enabler to successful deposition is knowing where to place the therapeutic dispensing tip. Establishing a direct, line-of-sight discharge point from which an ejection has the maximum chance of hitting its target is essential. We refer to this position as the vantage point, and it lies just above the nasal valve within the nasal cavity. The plug-in-socket look of our design does more than steer patients towards correct use. A close inspection of the inserters that enter each nostril reveals a carefully considered shape that serves to engage with and open up the nasal valve. Positioning the dispensing tips at the optimal ejection point requires one more design element, and this is embodied by the concealed cannulas that extend from the prongs as the system engages with the columella (the bridge separating the base of the nostrils). The concealment not only provides perceptive appeal, it enables Rocket Science Health to reliably thread its flexible, soft dispensing tips into that ideal vantage point and secure the best results.
The vantage point provides a direct line of sight to the olfactory target, bypassing complex nasal anatomy.
Key Enabler 3: Optimal Fluidics — Stream not Spray
The third, equally important enabler to successful deposition is in the choice of fluidic ejection profile. There are multiple downsides to the spray-based approach. For one, sprays impose severe limits on the viscosity of a formulation. For another, the physical processes involved in micro-droplet formation, and the action of surface tension on therapeutics in the droplets themselves, can be highly destructive to the functionality of a sensitive molecule. These topics deserve more attention and will be addressed at length in a future post. The good news is that liquid streams do not suffer from these defects. Better still, a concentrated liquid stream is the ideal method for hitting a small target. At Rocket Science Health, we are pioneering that liquid stream, creating a targeted ejection that concentrates therapeutic doses into a focused liquid beam, giving laser-like accuracy and consistent results. Our technology supports liquids with viscosity from 1 up to 50 cP and can deliver volumes from 50 to 200 µL per nostril, providing maximum flexibility for formulation development.
Sprays subject their contents to destructive forces while achieving a low rate of olfactory deposition.
How Should Precision Deposition Really Be Measured?
Given the challenges inherent in delivering to the olfactory region, it should be noted that peak deposition performance is woefully inadequate as a measure of how well therapeutic is placed. Claims to the effect of "up to 50% of dose deposited within the olfactory region" are meaningless if this peak performance only occurs 10% of the time. Instead, precision should be communicated more descriptively, using statistical statements such as "at least 75% of dose is delivered to the target site with 95% confidence". Absent such specificity, it is impossible to tell if such a vital marketing claim actually describes a repeatable performance. This accurate form of communication is imperative for pharmaceutical scientists to gauge the risks of mis-dosings. By the way, Rocket Science Health’s technology does deliver at least 75% of dose to the olfactory region with 95% confidence. This is based on extensive testing using adult nasal cast models.
Measuring deposition with a nasal cast model.
The Future of Strategic Partnerships between Device Manufacturers and Therapeutic Innovators
The potential for innovation in therapeutic formulations is perhaps the most significant opportunity afforded by the emergence of olfactory-to-brain delivery. While substantial biological hurdles remain, the fact is that these hurdles are different from those faced by molecules delivered orally or by injection. This means that entirely new ranges of viscosity, dose volume, and concentration may be considered as never before - provided the right delivery platform is selected.
This is where the value of strategic partnerships truly shines. Working with device technologies that support the broadest range of families of formulations and consistently deliver a payload to the target site ensures maximum flexibility in the design of a new therapeutic. The needless constraints imposed by more traditional nasal sprays can only restrict the efficacy of a novel formulation. Rocket Science Health is proud to be the leader in precision olfactory-to-brain delivery. Our configurable systems support a viscosity range from 1-50 cP and dose volume from 50-200 µL per nostril. This design specification is in direct response to therapeutic developers who are limited by spray-based systems.
A Call To Action
In an effort to empower our audience with a truly practical understanding of precision olfactory-to-brain delivery, we encourage the reader to ask the following questions. Running these answers to ground is a highly informative exercise, especially for formulations developers.
- Is precision olfactory administration the right choice, or should I consider other options?
- How can I fairly test my formulation with new devices and what should I measure
- How important is ease of use for my target end-users?
- Is my formulation sensitive to destructive forces?
- Am I dealing with a viscous formulation?
- Do I have special requirements for residence time within the olfactory region?
- Do you require a device immediately for a primate study or an in-human clinical trial?
If you need help with any of these questions, we encourage you to reach out to Rocket Science Health and we’d be happy to discuss. We are actively developing combination product programs and welcome the chance to discover how our technology will best advance your therapeutic program objectives.
Contact: hello@rocketscience.health
Sohier Hall, President (left) with Founder and CEO Kenneth Irving
About Rocket Science Health
Rocket Science Health, founded by Canadian business leader Kenneth Irving, develops precision drug delivery technologies focused on brain-targeted therapeutics and vaccines. Our needle-free intranasal device enables non-clinical self-administration for at-home care, emergency rescue, and mass immunization. Its fluidics are specifically engineered for today's delicate biologics and dose-dependent drugs. As a team, we are driven to create innovations that expand access to care — especially for under-resourced communities and for individuals who face physical, cognitive, or challenging care environments where thoughtful design can improve health outcomes.
