Dalton Signor, a university dropout, has made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of smoking cessation and migraine treatment. His company, Miist Therapeutics, has secured $7 million in seed funding to further develop its innovative inhaler technology, which has shown remarkable results in early trials.

The inspiration behind Miist Therapeutics came from Signor's personal experience, witnessing friends and family members struggle with smoking addiction. He realized that existing smoking cessation medicines, such as patches, gums, and lozenges, were ineffective due to their slow absorption rates, taking around 30 minutes to provide relief. In contrast, the average person relapses in just 11 minutes. Signor set out to create a withdrawal-inhibitor inhaler that could deliver medication directly to the lungs, allowing for rapid absorption into the bloodstream and providing faster relief.

Signor's vision attracted a team of experts, including Jeff Schuster, a physicist with dozens of patents for developing inhaled medicines, as CTO and co-founder, and Eric Ezerins, a biomedical engineer, as head of R&D. Together, they developed an inhaler that produces particles 50% smaller than other inhalers, depositing medicine deeper in the lungs for faster absorption.

The small Phase I trial conducted by Miist Therapeutics demonstrated astonishing results, with smokers who used the inhaler eliminating 92% of their cravings in just two minutes – a 10X improvement over the existing standard of care. This breakthrough has garnered significant attention, with investors like Refactor Capital, 1517 Fund, and Freeflow Ventures backing the company with $7 million in seed funding.

Zal Bilmoria, solo GP at Refractor Capital, initially had reservations about Miist's approach but was convinced by the trial results. "It's game-changing," he said, highlighting the potential of this technology to revolutionize the smoking cessation industry.

Miist's inhaler, although resembling a vaping device, is designed to address the psychological aspects of quitting smoking. By spreading the medication delivery over seven puffs, the device mimics the behavior of smoking, providing a sense of familiarity and comfort for users.

Beyond smoking cessation, Miist Therapeutics is exploring the application of its technology for migraines. The company has launched a program to develop an oral inhaler for migraine treatment, which could provide faster relief and help prevent prolonged, untreatable attacks. Miist is currently testing triptans, a class of migraine drugs, in the lab and envisions its inhaler being used to administer other medicines for various conditions, such as anxiety control.

Miist Therapeutics is not alone in this space, with Qnovia, another startup, developing a similar vape-like device for smoking cessation and migraines. Both companies will need FDA clearance before bringing their devices to market in the US. If approved, they will be the first prescription-approved smoking cessation treatments to emerge in nearly two decades.

While some may view vaping as an unorthodox method of drug delivery, Refractor's Bilmoria believes that the effectiveness of Miist's technology should override any reservations. "It's unbelievable to me that the pharma industry has overlooked this opportunity," he said, highlighting the potential of this technology to transform the healthcare landscape.

As Miist Therapeutics gears up to run a Phase II trial of its smoking cessation technology, the company's innovative approach and promising results have positioned it as a leader in the healthtech industry. With its sights set on revolutionizing the way we treat smoking addiction and migraines, Miist Therapeutics is poised to make a significant impact on public health.