Drug Delivery Device with Electrically Controlled Volume Changing Means

• US 20090093772A1
• Filed: 07/03/2006
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Therapeutics Corporation
• Original Assignee: SteadyMed Ltd. (United Therapeutics Corporation)
• Inventors: Goldstein, Jonathan, Genosar, Amir
• Granted Patent: US 9,011,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1454 spring-actuated, e.g. by a clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14593 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

The present invention provides a drug delivery device comprising a drug reservoir chamber (15) containing a substance (16) to be delivered in fluid connection with a drug administration means (17) and (18), and a hydraulic control chamber (9) containing an electrically controlled, non-gassing, volume changing means (13), a coupling means (14) coupling said hydraulic control chamber (9) to said drug chamber (15), the arrangement being such that a change in the electrical control means (11) causes a change in the volume of the volume changing means (13), the volume change being conveyed by the coupling means (14) to the drug chamber (15) such that the substance (16) is expelled from the drug chamber (15) towards the drug administration means (17) and (18).

Claims

1. A drug delivery device comprising a drug reservoir chamber containing a substance to be delivered in fluid connection with a drug administration means, and a hydraulic control chamber containing an electrically controlled, volume changing means, wherein said volume-changing means comprises a battery comprising electrodes and an electrolyte, the battery being configured such that the combined volume of said electrodes and electrolyte changes upon the discharge thereof, a coupling means coupling said hydraulic control chamber to said drug chamber, the arrangement being such that a change in said combined volume during discharging of said battery is conveyed by said coupling means to said drug chamber such that said substance is expelled from said drug chamber towards said drug administration means.

2. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug administration means is selected from the group consisting of cannulas, cannula arrays, exit ports and transdermal patches.

3. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically controlled, volume changing means includes an electric circuit connected to said battery via electrical contacts configured to discharge electrical current therefrom.

4. A drug delivery device according to claim 3, wherein said electrical contacts are connected to said electrodes.

5. A drug delivery device according to claim 3, wherein said battery comprises at least one electrochemical cell comprising electrodes and electrolyte, and wherein said electrical contacts are connected to said electrodes.

6. A drug delivery device according to claim 5, wherein said at least one electrochemical cell is a passive cell wherein the combined volume of said electrodes and electrolyte changes in response to an electrical current removed from said electrical contacts.

7. A drug delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the combined volume of said electrodes and electrolyte changes its volume as its electrical charge is depleted on application of a load across said electrical contacts.

8. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said battery is selected from the group consisting of a lead-acid battery, a dry cell battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a lithium ion battery and a fuel cell.

9. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said battery is a zinc-air battery.

10. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device is disposable.

11. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device is partly disposable.

12. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device is an implantable device.

13. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device further comprises a filling means.

14. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device is a multiple-use device.

15. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device is a patch-type pump.

16. A drug delivery device according to claim 15, wherein said patch-type pump is attached to the body by a means comprising an adhesion means, a strap, a clasp and combinations thereof.

17. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device further comprises an auto-insertion means.

18. A drug delivery device according to claim 17, wherein said auto-insertion means serves to insert the administration means.

19. A drug delivery device according to claim 17, wherein said auto-insertion means automatically activates the drug-infusion device.

20. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery mechanism further comprises a plurality of drug chambers.

21. A drug delivery device according to claim 20, wherein said drug-delivery device includes means for the mixing of the drugs from said plurality of drug chambers.

22. A drug delivery device according to claim 1 wherein said drug-delivery device further comprises a plurality of control chambers.

23. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug chamber includes means enabling the intake of body fluids;

said fluids serving to dilute a drug for subsequent administration by said drug-delivery device on reversion to its normal operating mode.

24. A drug delivery device according to claim 23, wherein said device further comprises means for sampling body fluids for analysis.

25. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug-delivery device further comprises communications means to remote devices selected from the group consisting of magnetic induction, infra-red, and RF devices.

26. A drug delivery device according to claim 2, wherein said administration means further comprises a safety feature to protect against accidental contact or injury.

27. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the change of volume of the drug reservoir chamber is proportional to the change in the volume of the control chamber upon the discharge of the battery.

28. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the change in the volume of the volume changing means is proportional to an external electric perturbation upon the discharge of the battery.

29. A drug-delivery device according to claim 1, comprising a drug chamber containing a substance to be delivered and an hydraulic control chamber, said drug chamber and control chamber being coupled by means such that the change of volume of the drug chamber is proportional to the change in the volume of the volume changing means within the control chamber upon the discharge of the battery, and wherein said change of volume of the drug chamber causes the drug to be dispensed via said administration means, and wherein the change of the volume of the volume changing means within the control chamber is proportional to an external electric perturbation.

30. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, comprising a drug reservoir chamber containing a substance to be delivered in fluid connection with a drug administration means, and a hydraulic control chamber containing an electrically controlled, volume changing means, a coupling means coupling said hydraulic control chamber to said drug chamber, the arrangement being such that a change in said electrical control means causes a change in the volume of the volume changing means, said volume change being conveyed by said coupling means to said drug chamber such that said substance is expelled from said drug chamber towards said drug administration means.

31. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug reservoir chamber is coupled to said hydraulic control chamber via a displaceable wall;

such that the volume change of the volume-changing means serves to control the rate of delivery of the drug.

32. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein said drug reservoir chamber is coupled to said hydraulic control chamber via a piston arrangement;

such that the volume change of the volume-changing means serves to control the rate of delivery of the drug.