Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M11/00—Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M15/00—Inhalators
  • A61M15/0028—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up
  • A61M15/0045—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
  • A61M15/0046—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters characterized by the type of carrier
  • A61M15/0048—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters characterized by the type of carrier the dosages being arranged in a plane, e.g. on diskettes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M15/00—Inhalators
  • A61M15/0028—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up
  • A61M15/0045—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
  • A61M15/0046—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters characterized by the type of carrier
  • A61M15/0051—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters characterized by the type of carrier the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M15/00—Inhalators
  • A61M15/0028—Inhalators using prepacked dosages, one for each application, e.g. capsules to be perforated or broken-up
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2202/00—Special media to be introduced, removed or treated
  • A61M2202/06—Solids
  • A61M2202/064—Powder
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
  • A61M2205/07—General characteristics of the apparatus having air pumping means
  • A61M2205/071—General characteristics of the apparatus having air pumping means hand operated
  • A61M2205/073—Syringe, piston type
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
  • A61M2205/82—Internal energy supply devices
  • A61M2205/8218—Gas operated
  • A61M2205/8225—Gas operated using incorporated gas cartridges for the driving gas

Definitions

• Molecules absorbed from the stomach and small intestines of the gastro-intestinal tract are collected in the hepatic portal drainage system and go directly to the liver where they are exposed to a variety of enzymes which degrade many therapeutics and nutrients, including peptides, proteins and oligonucleotides.
• molecules absorbed from the oral, lingual and sub-lingual regions go directly into the systemic circulation, bypassing the hepatic portal system and avoiding initial exposure to the enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract.
• the oral cavity is a far gentler environment for many molecules, especially peptides and proteins, compared to the harsh acidic and peptide lysing environment of the stomach and intestines.
• the underside and base of the tongue, as well as the base of the oral cavity beneath the tongue, are highly variegated and vascularized, containing capillaries close to the surface, which presents a considerable surface area to allow rapid absorption of a desired drug or nutrient.
• the oral cavity and more specifically, the lingual and sub-lingual regions of the oral cavity appear to be an ideal site for the delivery of many therapeutic and nutritional molecules, including peptides and proteins.
• drugs have been successfully delivered by this route, there remain a number of problems with this mode of delivery.
• One problem with using the oral cavity for drug delivery is due to a patient's automatic swallowing response.
• a liquid placed in the oral cavity in amounts greater than 200 microliters ( ⁇ L) will usually elicit a swallowing response, removing the drug to be delivered from the oral cavity and subjecting it to the harsh conditions of the stomach.
• ⁇ L microliters
• a film or patch utilizes only a limited amount of the potential surface area that is available for abso ⁇ tion, which thereby reduces the amount of drug that can be delivered.
• the base of the tongue is irregularly shaped and variegated and as a result standardized patches do not readily adhere to it.
• an individual who has a foreign substance located under the tongue normally automatically reacts by moving the position of the foreign substance and swallow it. Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a device for administering drugs to the oral cavity, particularly the sub-lingual region. It is a further object of the invention to provide improved bioavailability for oral drug delivery.
• a drug delivery device that aerosolizes a dry powder formulation of a therapeutic agent or nutrient and dispenses the formulation so that it forms a fine coating in the oral cavity and, more specifically, in the sublingual region of the oral cavity, has been developed.
• the device contains five main parts: (i) a compressed gas canister, (ii) a dispenser body (also referred to herein as the main housing), (iii) a means for storing one or more doses of a drug formulation in the housing, (iv) a means for releasing a dose of the drug formulation and (v) a mouthpiece.
• the mouthpiece is configured to deliver the drug to the sublingual region of the oral cavity.
• the means for storing the drug formulation may be configured to separately store one or more materials.
• the means for storing the active agent is in the form of one or more drug discs, where the drug discs contain a plurality of blister packs, each storing one dose of the drug formulation.
• the means for storing the active agent is a dosage cartridge containing a single dose of the drug formulation.
• the drug formulation is stored on a ribbon containing a plurality of blister packs, each storing one dose of the drug formulation.
• the means for releasing a dose is a gas canister.
• the gas canister is replaced with a piston assembly.
• Figures 1A, 1 B and 1 C are drawings of a drug dispensing device having a tubular configuration.
• Figures 1 A and IB are plan views of the device, showing the door to the drug storage means open and closed, respectively.
• Figure 1C is an exploded plan view of the device.
• Figures 2A and 2B show a side view and a plan view, respectively, of the drug storage means used in the device described in Figures 1A, IB, and lC.
• Figures 3 A and 3B are drawings of a drug dispensing device having a circular configuration.
• Figure 3 A is a plan view of the device.
• Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the device.
• Figure 4 is a plan view of the gas canister used in the device described in Figures 3A and 3B.
• Figures 5 A and 5B are three-dimensional drawings of the drug delivery device.
• Figure 5A shows the device when it is fully-assembled.
• Figure 5B is an exploded view of the components of the device.
• Figure 6 is a three-dimensional drawing of the piston assembly.
• Figure 7 is a two-dimensional drawing showing a cross-section of the fully-assembled device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION I.
• the dispenser device is a compact, handheld dispensing device capable of delivering drug dose quantities of aerosolized dry powder particles to any region of the oral cavity and most specifically to the sublingual region of the oral cavity of a patient.
• the dispenser device may have any suitable shape that is compact and can be handheld.
• the device has a generally tubular shape.
• the device has a generally circular shape.
• the device is generally in the shape of a rectangular box.
• Figures 1 A, IB and 1C illustrate a dispenser device in a substantially tubular shape with each element in a linear alignment.
• the device includes a dispenser body (10), a mouthpiece (12), a gas canister (or other means for dispensing a single drug dose) (14), and a drug cartridge (16).
• the tubular dispenser device has a diameter generally ranging from 0.25 inches 2 inches, preferably from 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches. The length generally ranges from 2 inches to 7 inches, preferably 3 inches to 5.5 inches.
• the dispenser body (10) is designed to hold all of the elements of the device.
• the dispenser body is open at both ends.
• the mouthpiece (12) connects to one end and the drug dispensing means (14) connects to the other end.
• the dispenser body preferably contains a door (18), which can be opened to insert the drug storage means (16) and closed prior to administration of the drug dose.
• the dispenser body includes a means for locking the door in place so that it cannot be opened during drug administration to a patient.
• the means for locking the door uses an interlocking device. Suitable interlocking devices include a pin, cam or latch to prevent the door from opening.
• Another interlocking device contains a channel with an area with a larger opening and an area with a smaller opening. When the mouthpiece is rotated in one position, the door is aligned with the smaller opening in the channel, preventing the door from opening. When the mouthpiece is rotated into a second position, the door is aligned with the larger opening in the channel, allowing the door to open. 2. Mouthpiece The mouthpiece (12) is attached to one end of the dispenser body (10).
• the mouthpiece (12) is in linear alignment with the dispenser body (10) and is rotatable about the central axis that runs along the length of the dispenser device. In a preferred embodiment, rotating the mouth piece a predetermined distance (e.g. 45° or 90° around the central axis of the device) around the dispenser body (10) locks the door (18) in the closed position. In the preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece is designed to be placed in the sublingual region of a patient's mouth. 3.
• Dosage Dispensing Means can be any means which exerts sufficient directed force to release a single dosage from the dose storage means and expel it from the device to a delivery site in the patient's mouth. Examples include a gas canister or a piston.
• the gas canister (14) is generally a commercially available canister containing compressed gas.
• the gas may be any pharmaceutically acceptable inhalable gas or pharmaceutically acceptable propellant. Examples of suitable gases include nitrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and air.
• the gas canister contains a valve (20).
• the gas canister is placed in a canister casing (22).
• the canister casing surrounds the gas canister and connects it to the disperser body.
• Suitable means for connecting the canister casing to the dispenser body include mating elements (24A and 24B) that protrude from the casing and mate with complementary configured spaces in the dispenser body (10) (not shown in figures).
• the mating elements may be in any suitable shape, including spheres, squares, etc.
• the dispensing means is a piston which may be manually activated or activated by releasing a catch to allow a spring to force the piston in a desired direction.
• the drug cartridge (16) contains two main parts.
• the bottom portion of the drug cartridge (26) contains one or more chambers to store the powdered dosage formulation (28).
• the top of the cartridge (30) is in rotatable alignment with the bottom part (26) and is able to rotate about the center axis of the drug cartridge.
• the top of the cartridge contains one or more holes (32A and 32B) that can be aligned with the one or more holes in the bottom portion of the cartridge (holes not shown in figures).
• the top of the cartridge (30) is placed over the bottom portion (26).
• the top of the cartridge (30) contains one or more section dividers (34) which, when placed inside the bottom of the cartridge, divide the cartridge chamber (28) into two or more chambers.
• the bottom of the cartridge (26) contains one or more section dividers which divide the chamber into two or more chambers (not shown in figures).
• Each chamber contains a hole at the end of the bottom portion distal to the top of the cartridge (holes not shown in figures).
• the hole(s) at the end distal to the top of the cartridge are covered.
• the covering may be a material that is punctured upon placement in the dispensing device or the covering may be a removable material, such as an adhesive (e.g. tape) or metallic material.
• the cartridge is filled with a unit dose of the drug formulation.
• the cartridge has one chamber.
• the cartridge contains two chambers, which can be used to separate materials that are not stable when stored together or to separate two drug formulations (see Figures 2A and 2B).
• the cartridge contains three or more chambers, which can be used to separate materials that are not stable when stored together or to separate different drug formulations. B.
• Circular Dispenser Device Figures 3A and 3B illustrate a dispenser device in a substantially circular shape.
• the dispenser device contains a means for opening and closing a valve in the dosage dispensing means canister and a means for puncturing the drug storage means such as a blister pack to administer the medicine.
• the means for opening and closing the valve is the same component as the means for puncturing the blister pack.
• the device contains a dispenser body (36), a mouthpiece (38), a gas canister (40), a plunger arm (42), and one or more drug discs containing blister packs (44).
• the circular dispensing device has a diameter (measured across the top of the device) generally ranging from 1 inch to 5 inches, preferably ranging from 1.5 inches to 3 inches, most preferably 2.5 inches.
• the circular dispensing device has a height (or thickness) generally ranging from 0.5 inches to 2 inches, preferably 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches.
• the dispenser body (36) has an opening in the bottom (46) suitable for the placement of the gas canister.
• the top of the device contains a substantially hollow circle around the perimeter of the device (48), with a hollow center.
• the hollow circle is designed to contain one or more drug discs containing a plurality of medical powder storage chambers spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction (also known as "blister packs)".
• the hollow circle is designed to contain two discs, where one is place on top of the other.
• the circle may contain two or more drug discs.
• the hollow circle is covered with a flat, circular cover containing one hole in the center, another hole near the center, and a third hole near the perimeter of the circle. The third hole should align substantially with the location of one of the blister packs. 2.
• Mouthpiece The mouthpiece (38) is attached to the dispenser body (36). In the preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece (38) rotates from a closed position suitable for storage of the device (49) in the dispenser body to an open position, protruding outside of the dispenser body ( Figures 3 A and 3B show the mouthpiece in the open position).
• the mouthpiece may be attached to a cylinder (50) to allow the mouthpiece to rotate about the cylinder.
• the mouthpiece contains a hollow conduit (52) which allows for the gas and powdered drug formulation to flow out of the device and into the patient's mouth.
• the hollow conduit is configured to mix, disperse, and aerosolize the powdered drug formulation.
• the mouthpiece is designed to be placed in the sublingual region of a patient's mouth. 3.
• Drug dispensing Means The drug dispensing means are the same or similar to those discussed above.
• Gas canister (40) shown in Figures 3A and 3B is a commercially available circular canister containing compressed gas.
• the gas may be any pharmaceutically acceptable inhalable gas or pharmaceutically acceptable propellant.
• One manufacturer of a suitable gas canister is 3M.
• the gas canister contains a gas outlet (54) and an outer rim (56).
• the gas canister also contains a valve for releasing the gas. The valve opens when the outer rim is pressed and closes in the absence of pressure to the outer rim. 4.
• Dosage Dispensing Means The dosage dispensing means can be as discussed above.
• the plunger arm (42) is located on top of the dispenser body. In a first area proximal to the mouthpiece, the plunger arm (42) contains at least one hollow cylinder (58) with a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of a blister pack.
• This cylinder is aligned with the mouthpiece and at least one blister pack.
• the plunger arm contains more than one hollow cylinder proximal to the mouthpiece.
• This embodiment is particularly useful to administer drug formulations from a drug disc containing two or more radially aligned blister packs.
• the number of hollow cylinders is preferably the same as the number of blister packs in radial alignment.
• the plunger arm contains another hollow tube (60) that connects to the gas outlet (54).
• this cylinder has a slightly larger diameter than the gas outlet (54) so that the gas outlet (54) fits inside the hollow tube (60).
• the plunger arm also contains a conduit (62) that connects the hollow tube proximal to the center of the device (60) with the hollow tube proximal to the mouthpiece (58).
• the plunger arm acts as a lever, with the fulcrum in the center of the device.
• the plunger arm when the plunger arm is pushed down in the area proximal to the mouthpiece, the plunger arm is raised up in the center, pulling the gas outlet (54) up, thereby pushing in the outer rim (58) and opening the valve inside the gas canister (not shown in figures).
• the plunger arm also contains a protrusion (64).
• the gas outlet (54) aligns with the hollow tube in the center of the dispenser body (60) and the outer rim (56) is beneath the protrusion (64).
• the gas outlet (54) is pulled up and/or the outer rim (58) is pressed by the protrusion (64), a valve inside of the gas canister (not shown in Figure 4) is opened and the gas flows out of the canister through the gas outlet (54).
• the protrusion (64) has a length suitable to fit inside the dispenser body and above the outer rim (56) and to touch the outer rim (56) only when the plunger arm is depressed. Suitable sizes range from 0.125 inches to 1 inch, preferably from 0.25 inches to 0.375 inches, most preferably up to 0.375 inches.
• the protrusion may have any shape that fits within the size range, including cylinder, oval, square, and circle.
• the protrusion may be hollow or solid.
• the patient pushes the plunger arm down. This motion results in puncturing the one or more blister packs located beneath the one or more cylinders in the area proximal to the mouthpiece (58) and empties their contents into the hollow tube(52) in the mouthpiece.
• the valve in the canister opens and the gas flows out the canister outlet (54), through the hollow tube proximal to the center of the dispenser device (60), through the conduit in the plunger arm (62), through the hollow tube proximal to the mouthpiece (58), and into the tube in the mouthpiece (52).
• the dispenser device may contain one or more replaceable drug discs.
• the drug discs contain a plurality of storage chambers (also known as blister packs) arranged in a circle, preferably along the circumference of the circle. Each of the storage chambers is sealed by a breakable wall and holds a unit-dose of medication. A patient gains access to the medication in a given chamber by puncturing the breakable wall associated with the storage chamber with the hollow cylinder proximal to the mouthpiece (58).
• one drug disc may contain two or more blister packs aligned radially around the circumference of the disc. This arrangement can also be used for two or more blister packs that can be combined to deliver a single dose of the drug formulation.
• the one or more drug discs are rotatably mounted inside the hollow circle on the perimeter of the dispenser body (48).
• each of the storage chambers contains a unit dose of the drug formulation.
• one or more the storage cells may be combined to administer a single dose of the drug formulation.
• the generally rectangular dispenser device may be a piston-containing device (66).
• the rectangular dispenser device generally has a length (measured across the top of the device, along the cocking mechanism, with the mouthpiece in the closed position) ranging from 1.5 inches to 6 inches, preferably 2.5 inches to 4 inches.
• the rectangular dispenser device generally has a height generally ranging from 1.5 inches to 6 inches, preferably from 2 inches to 4 inches.
• the rectangular dispenser device generally has a depth generally ranging from 0.5 inches to 2inches, preferably from 0.75 inches to 1.5 inches, most preferably up to 1 inch. 1.
• the main housing (68) is the central attachment member for all of the dispensing device subassemblies and also serves as a protective housing, and hand orientation-operation guide.
• the main housing may be fabricated from a number of materials but in the preferred embodiment from polycarbonate material.
• the Piston Assembly As shown in Figure 6, the piston assembly (70) is a pneumatic- charged piston assembly, which contains (i) an o-ring (80), which is used for initial testing only, (ii) a compression-charge spring (82), (iii) a piston- member (84), (iv) a piston-guide bearing (86), and (v) a piston-head end cap (88).
• the spring-size and spring-constant can be determined by equating the piston-force (F p ) to the spring-force (F s ).
• the piston-force is calculated by multiplying the piston mass (m p ) by the stroke acceleration (a s ) as shown in Equation 1.
• F p m p x a s (Eq. 1)
• the spring-force (F s ) is calculated by multiplying the displacement by the spring (d) by the spring constant (C s ) as shown in Equation 1.
• F s d x C s (Eq. 2)
• the piston assembly can be substituted with a pneumatic "gas-charged" cylindrical tank. 3.
• Rotary Mouthpiece Assembly As shown in Figures 5A and 7, the rotary mouthpiece assembly (72) has a convoluted ducting design (90) that slows down the gas velocity and converts a portion of the kinetic energy into particle mixing energy (vortex- eddies).
• this configuration incorporates the de- agglomeration, mixing, and dispersion mechanics necessary for low-velocity aerosolization of slightly cohesive, large granule, particle powders.
• the mouthpiece has a spring and ball detent mechanism (92) to positively locate it in a stowed or deployed position.
• the mouthpiece is configured so that the dispersion (firing) chamber (94) of the dispenser is covered when the mouthpiece is stowed away.
• the mouthpiece can mechanically cog-forward the next loaded drug dose tab when it is placed in the stowed position.
• the drug dose tab can be fed manually by a separate feed mechanism.
• the tab on the underside of the mouthpiece (96) is used to position the mouthpiece at an optimum distance and an optimum angle to deliver to a desired region of the oral cavity.
• the tab (96) is placed touching and parallel to the two front incisor teeth of the patient's lower jaw.
• the distance of the tab from the distal end of the mouthpiece and the angle the mouthpiece makes with the tab is optimized to dispense a dry powder formulation to the sub-lingual region.
• the Cocking Mechanism Assembly The cocking mechanism assembly (74) is a user-friendly pinch-type, i.e. thumb and forefinger, or thumb-only pull-bar that compresses the piston assembly spring (82) for pneumatic pressure, discharge firing.
• the cock-bar member tracks in one linear rail direction along the axis of the piston compression spring. If the pneumatic piston-accumulator assembly is substituted with a pre-charged component, the cocking mechanism assembly can alternatively be used as a gas cylinder loading and locking member. 5.
• the firing mechanism assembly (76) is a complex agglomeration of inter-connecting parts.
• the drug dose magazine (78) assembly is composed of the magazine housing (98) and the drug dose ribbon with feed-leader strip (100).
• the ribbon can contain a plurality of two side-by-side dose tabs, which are simultaneously loaded and dispensed within the same "firing chamber”. Alternatively, the ribbon may contain a dose tab on only one side of the ribbon. Thus the dispenser can deliver one drug composition or two drug compositions (or two doses of the same drug composition) simultaneously.
• the ribbon can be used to administer two parts of a drug formulation that are unstable when stored together, but stable when stored separately.
• the dose tab ribbon is slot connected so that it can be cog-fed forward.
• each tab can be cut-off by a shear blade after use.
• Drug formulations The drug formulations that are administered to a patient using the d g dispensing device are preferably in the form of a dry powder.
• the powder may consist of drug only, drug plus surfactant or other excipient, or drug plus polymer and other excipients.
• Drug particles are preferably less than 100 microns in diameter, more preferably less than 50 microns, most preferably less than 10 microns. These may be prepared by any standard technology including spray drying and lyophilization and grinding.
• the long term stability or shelf life of the drug is markedly increased. It is also easier to sterilize/ sanitize a dry powder initially and to maintain a sanitary/ sterile condition over an extended period of time.
• Two or more substances that would not be compatible in a liquid formulation can be stored together compatibly as a dry powder.
• One or more substances can be stored and administered using the drug dispensing devices described herein. Thus, for two or more substances that cannot be stored together, even as a dry powder, they can be stored separately, in different blister packs, separate compartments in a drug cartridge, or different tabs that are side-by-side on the drug dose ribbon, and delivered simultaneously.
• the drug delivery device is used to administer powdered drug compositions to the oral cavity, and is particularly useful for sublingual drug delivery.
• A. Tubular dispenser device The drug cartridge may be available as a single cartridge or as a part of a cartridge assembly. In the preferred embodiment, the cartridge is part of a cartridge assembly.
• a single drug cartridge (16) is removed from a cartridge assembly. Then the covering is removed from the bottom of the cartridge to open the bottom of the cartridge. The The door (18) in the dispenser body is opened, and the cartridge is placed in the open area of the dispenser body, with the top of the cartridge (30) proximal to the mouthpiece and the holes in the bottom of the cartridge proximal to the gas.
• the door (18) in the dispenser body is closed.
• a patient rotates the mouthpiece a predetermined distance (e.g. 45° or 90° around the central axis of the device) in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction to align the one ore more holes on the top of the cartridge (e.g. 32A and 32B) with the one ore more holes on the bottom of the cartridge (not shown in figures).
• the dispenser body locks the door in the closed position, when the mouth piece is rotated the predetermined distance.
• the holes are also aligned with the mouthpiece outlet.
• the dispenser is placed under the patient's tongue.
• the gas cartridge is pressed into the end of the dispenser body that is proximal to the cartridge.
• Circular dispenser device To use the circular shaped device to administer the powdered drug formulation, first, one or more drug discs are placed inside the hollow circle on the perimeter of the dispenser body (48) and one or more of the blister packs are aligned with the mouthpiece. For example, if two drug discs are used, one drug disc is placed on top of the other and both are aligned so that one blister pack in the first disc is directly on top of one blister pack in the second disc and both blister packs are aligned with the mouthpiece. This arrangement can also be used for three or more drug discs. In another embodiment, one drug disc is used and the drug is contained in two or more blister packs aligned radially around the circumference of the disc.
• the two or more blister packs or two or more drug discs can be combined to deliver a single dose of the drug formulation or to administer two or more drug formulations simultaneously.
• all of the powdered drug formulation in the punctured blister pack(s) is delivered to the patient.
• the drug disc(s) is rotated by a predetermined angle, and then the next blister pack is aligned with the mouthpiece.
• the drug disc(s) is rotated by a predetermined angle, and then the next blister pack is aligned with the mouthpiece.
• Rectangular Dispenser Device To use the rectangular shaped device, a patient opens the device, places the tab (96) parallel to the two front incisor teeth of the patient's lower jaw, so that it touches these teeth.
• the patient pulls back the cocking mechanism to compress the piston assembly, and when the patient is ready to administer the drug, the patient the simply triggers the firing mechanism assembly, such as by pushing on a pin, which results in release of the drug powder dose tab and the release of the piston, thereby mixing the powdered drug with the air and delivering the aerosolized drug through the mouthpiece to the patient's oral cavity.
• the firing mechanism assembly such as by pushing on a pin, which results in release of the drug powder dose tab and the release of the piston, thereby mixing the powdered drug with the air and delivering the aerosolized drug through the mouthpiece to the patient's oral cavity.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Anesthesiology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)
• Medicinal Preparation (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 2005
  • 2005-01-18 CA CA002553392A patent/CA2553392A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-01-18 US US11/037,737 patent/US7658721B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-01-18 EP EP05705773A patent/EP1711220A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-01-18 AU AU2005209199A patent/AU2005209199B2/en not_active Ceased
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