Fireside Chat
Formulation and Delivery
of Spray Dried Biologics
for Nasal Dosage Forms.
Thursday 5th February 2026
Session Overview:
Discover how spray drying is shaping the future of nasal delivery for biologics. In this fireside chat, we’ll explore the science behind spray drying, why the nasal route is such a compelling option for rapid, non-invasive delivery, and the practical steps to get from concept to clinic.
We’ll start by discussing pharmaceutical spray drying, what it is, how it works, and why it’s a proven platform for stabilising sensitive molecules. Then we’ll dive into nasal dosage forms and talk about when (and why) the nose beats other routes for biologics.
Next, we’ll talk about spray-drying biologics for nasal delivery. How do we balance particle size and morphology, for optimal nasal deposition?
Finally, we’ll walk through testing and characterization: and discuss device/formulation compatibility.
Speakers:
Dr. Richard Johnson
Chief Scientific Officer
Dr Richard Johnson is the Founding Director and Chief Scientific Officer at Upperton Pharma Solutions, a UK-based Contract, Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) and graduated from Warwick University with a PhD Biochemistry. In 1994 he was part of a management buy-out team that founded Andaris Ltd, a research and development company exploiting the use of spray drying technology in the fields of diagnostic imaging and drug delivery. In 1999, Dr Johnson founded Upperton and has overseen significant growth and expansion over the past 25 years, specialising in spray drying and nasal drug development.
Lara Penn
Senior Development Scientist II
Lara Penn is a Senior Development Scientist II at Upperton Pharma Solutions in Nottingham. She holds a BSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Leicester. With over five years of experience, Lara has progressed from Quality Control Scientist to senior roles in formulation and project development. She specialises in analytical testing, method validation, and formulation development of oral solid dosage forms. Lara applies a science-led approach to support efficient development and manufacturing under GMP. She is skilled in HPLC, UV-Vis, FTIR, dissolution testing, and preparing technical documentation and SOPs.