Nasal Delivery Devices

• US 20080223363A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Optnose AS
• Original Assignee: OptiNose AS (OptiNose, Inc.)
• Inventors: Djupesland, Per Gisle
• Application Number:
  US12/053,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20080223363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/085 Measuring impedance of respiratory organs or lung elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/001 Particle size control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/006 operated by applying mechanical pressure to the liquid to be sprayed or atomised
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/02 operated by air or other gas pressure applied to the liquid or other product to be sprayed or atomised sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/002 with air flow regulating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• 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 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0098 Activated by exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/04 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/071 hand operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/073 : Syringe, piston type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 : with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0668 : Middle ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 : Composition of exhalation

Abstract

An exhalation breath-actuated nasal delivery device for and a method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a nosepiece (40) for fitting to a nostril of a subject; a mouthpiece (42) through which the subject in use exhales; and delivery unit (64), as one of a mechanical delivery pump (66) or a nebulizer (115), for delivering a substance to the nosepiece (40); and an actuation mechanism (74) for actuating the delivery unit in response to oral exhalation through the mouthpiece, and preferably when at least one or both of the pressure at or the flow rate through the nosepiece exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A pump unit for delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, the pump unit comprising an outlet nozzle and a mechanical delivery pump fluidly connected thereto, wherein the pump is actuatable to deliver substance through the nozzle upon oral exhalation by the subject so as to cause closure of the subject'"'"'s oropharyngeal velum, and the pump unit is configured to deliver substance into the subject'"'"'s nasal cavity only when the subject'"'"'s oropharyngeal velum is closed.

2. The pump unit of claim 1, further comprising an actuation mechanism for automatically actuating the pump in response to the subject'"'"'s oral exhalation.

3. The pump unit of claim 2, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a trigger mechanism for actuating the pump at a predeterminable pressure.

4. The pump unit of claim 2, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a trigger mechanism for actuating the pump at a predeterminable flow rate.

5. The pump unit of claim 2, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a trigger mechanism for actuating the pump at one or both of a predeterminable pressure and a predeterminable flow rate.

6. The pump unit of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a liquid pump for delivering a metered volume of a liquid as the substance.

7. The pump unit of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a powder pump for delivering a metered amount of a powder as the substance.

8. The pump unit of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is configured to deliver an aerosol containing the substance.

9. The pump unit of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is configured to deliver a jet containing the substance.

10. A method of delivering a substance to a nasal cavity of a subject, comprising the steps of:

providing a pump unit comprising an outlet nozzle and a mechanical delivery pump fluidly connected thereto;

inserting the pump unit into a nostril of the subject;

the subject exhaling through the mouth so as to close the subject'"'"'s oropharyngeal velum; and

actuating the pump to deliver substance through the nozzle to the subject'"'"'s nasal cavity upon oral exhalation by the subject.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pump unit further comprises an actuation mechanism for automatically actuating the pump in response to the subject'"'"'s oral exhalation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a trigger mechanism for actuating the pump at a predeterminable pressure.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a trigger mechanism for actuating the pump at a predeterminable flow rate.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a trigger mechanism for actuating the pump at one or both of a predeterminable pressure and a predeterminable flow rate.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the pump comprises a liquid pump for delivering a metered volume of a liquid as the substance.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the pump comprises a powder pump for delivering a metered amount of a powder as the substance.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the substance is delivered as an aerosol.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the substance is delivered as a jet.