Methods and devices for aerosolizing medicament

• US 20050199236A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novartis Pharma AG (Novartis Ag)
• Original Assignee: Aerogen, Inc. (Nektar Therapeutics)
• Inventors: Fink, James B., Domingo, Nicanor A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,677,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0068 Indicating or counting the number of dispensed doses or of remaining doses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0858 Pressure sampling ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/125 Diluting primary gas with ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for aerosolizing medicament to be inhaled by a user. A housing is provided with an aerosol generator contained within the housing. A medicament feed system supplies medicament to the aerosol generator. A mouthpiece has separate medicament and air flow passages. The medicament flow passage provides aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator to an outlet of the medicament flow passage, and the air flow passage has an inlet in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere. The outlets of the medicament and air flow passages are provided at an end of the mouthpiece to provide simultaneous flows of medicament and air that mix in the user'"'"'s mouth upon inhalation by the user at the end of the mouthpiece.

Claims

1. An aerosolizing inhalation device for aerosolizing a medicament to be inhaled by a user, the aerosolizing inhalation device comprising:

a housing;

an aerosol generator contained within the housing;

a medicament feed system to supply medicament to the aerosol generator; and

a mouthpiece comprising;

a medicament flow passage to provide aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator to an outlet of the medicament flow passage; and

an air flow passage separate from the medicament flow passage, the air flow passage having an inlet in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere and an outlet,

wherein the outlets of the medicament flow passage and air flow passage are provided at an end of the mouthpiece to provide simultaneous flows of medicament and air that mix in the user'"'"'s mouth upon inhalation by the user at the end of the mouthpiece.

2. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein the outlet of the air flow passage is disposed substantially below the outlet of the medicament flow passage when the mouthpiece is oriented for insertion into the user'"'"'s mouth.

3. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein greater than 90% of medicament provided to the aerosol generator by the medicament feed system is expelled through the outlet of the medicament flow passage.

4. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 further comprising an electrical connector that couples the mouthpiece electrically to the aerosol generator.

5. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 further comprising a pressure-measurement port disposed to measure a pressure within the medicament flow passage.

6. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein the aerosol generator is mounted to the housing with a resilient connection.

7. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein the aerosol generator includes a vibrating element with holes, the aerosolized medicament being emitted through the holes in the vibrating element when the vibrating element is vibrated.

8. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 7 wherein the vibrating element comprises:

a front side leading to the medicament flow passage such that aerosolized medicament passing through the holes enters the medicament flow passage; and

a back side that receives the medicament to be aerosolized.

9. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein the medicament feed system comprises:

a removable container holding a number of doses of medicament to be aerosolized; and

a reservoir coupled with the housing and holding a volume of the medicament in contact with the aerosol generator, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the removable container to allow the volume of medicament to be delivered from the removable container to the reservoir.

10. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 9 wherein the medicament feed system further comprises a one-way valve positioned to regulate flow between the removable container and the reservoir.

11. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein the mouthpiece is removable.

12. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein the aerosolized medicament comprises aerosolized liquid.

13. The aerosolizing inhalation device recited in claim 1 wherein the aerosolized medicament comprises aerosolized powder.

14. A method for providing aerosolized medicament to a patient, the method comprising:

storing a volume of the medicament;

aerosolizing the volume of the medicament and flowing the aerosolized medicament through a medicament flow passage into the patient'"'"'s mouth; and

simultaneously flowing air through an air flow passage separate from the medicament flow passage into the patient'"'"'s mouth in response to inhalation by the patient,

whereby the medicament and air mix do not mix prior to their entry into the patient'"'"'s mouth.

15. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the air is flowed into the patient'"'"'s mouth along a path substantially below a flow of the aerosolized medicament into the patient'"'"'s mouth.

16. The method recited in claim 14 wherein greater than 90% of the volume of the medicament is expelled through the outlet of the medicament flow passage.

17. The method recited in claim 14 further comprising measuring a pressure within the medicament flow passage.

18. The method recited in claim 14 wherein aerosolizing the volume of the medicament comprises:

supplying the volume of the medicament to a vibrating element with holes; and

vibrating the vibrating element to emit the aerosolized medicament through the holes.

19. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the medicament comprises a liquid.

20. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the medicament comprises a powder.