DRUG DELIVERY

• US 20100031957A1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Leeds
• Original Assignee: University of Leeds
• Inventors: McIntosh, Andrew, Beheshti, Novid
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.260
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/04 operated by the vapour pressure of the liquid to be sprayed or atomised air-humidification, e.g. "room humidifiers" F24F6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/041 using heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3128 Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/204 connected to external reservoirs for multiple refilling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2046 Media being expelled from injector by gas generation, e.g. explosive charge
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/484 Regulating injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 25/00 Portable extinguishers with power-driven pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/02 with containers for delivering the extinguishing substance
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 35/026 the extinguishing material being put under pressure by means other than pressure gas, e.g. pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0018 using gases or vapours that do not support combustion, e.g. steam, carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0072 using sprayed or atomised water
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/44 Preheating devices; Vaporising devices
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 5/22 Vaporising devices in burners using a direct spraying action of liquid droplets or vaporised liquid into the combustion space F23D11/44
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/30 comprising fuel prevapourising devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for ejecting drug bearing material. The ejected material is ejected as liquid and liquid vapour via an explosive process which can provide a very fast ejection as well as an ejection which has a large throw. The apparatus can provide a nebulizer, inhaler or needleless injector.

Claims

1. Apparatus for delivering a medicament to a user, comprising:

a storage chamber arranged to store a quantity of a selected liquid comprising at least one medicament;

an ejection chamber arranged to hold a portion of the selected liquid;

an inlet valve arranged to selectively open to allow liquid from said storage chamber into said ejection chamber; and

an exit valve arranged to selectively open to eject medicament from said ejection chamber when a parameter associated with said ejection chamber satisfies a predetermined condition;

wherein

liquid vapor and/or liquid is ejected from the ejection chamber to thereby deliver medicament.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a heater member disposed in said ejection chamber or proximate to said ejection chamber for raising a temperature of liquid in said ejection chamber.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a pump member disposed in said ejection chamber or proximate to said ejection chamber for raising a pressure of liquid in said ejection chamber.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure sensor for determining when an ejection chamber pressure reaches a predetermined threshold value indicating satisfaction of said predetermined condition, said ejection chamber pressure comprising said parameter.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a passageway connecting said exit valve to a mouthpiece usable by a user to inhale ejected liquid and/or liquid vapor.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

said passageway and mouthpiece have a combined length selected to deliver medicament to a user at a desired temperature.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said selected liquid comprises a carrier liquid and at least one medicament component.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said selected liquid comprises at least one liquid medicament component.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said exit valve is arranged to open when a temperature of liquid in the ejection chamber is substantially equal to or greater than a saturation temperature associated with the liquid at a pressure equal to a pressure at a location downstream of said exit valve.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a hand held nebulizer further comprising:

a nebulizer body portion that is arranged to fit in a user'"'"'s hand and comprises a mouthpiece via which a user can inhale ejected liquid and/or liquid vapor.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a user button carried by said body portion and usable to initiate delivery of medicament.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

control circuitry arranged to control ejection of medicament to a user, subsequent to delivery being initiated, until a predetermined quantity of medicament has been delivered.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

said storage chamber comprises a spring loaded piston to provide a positive pressure to stored liquid.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

said storage chamber comprises a pressurized canister to provide a positive pressure to stored liquid.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a return valve arranged to selectively open to allow medicament not ejected from said ejection chamber to return to said storage chamber.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

said nebulizer is arranged to automatically repeat ejection of medicament until the occurrence of a predetermined event.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a desktop nebulizer further comprising:

a nebulizer main body portion arranged to contain the storage chamber; and

a flexible connecting tube connecting said storage chamber to a further body portion arranged to contain said ejection chamber.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

a pump arranged to pump the selected liquid from said storage chamber to said ejection chamber.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, further comprising:

a heater arranged to heat liquid stored in said storage chamber.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

a refill port arranged to receive new liquid when liquid in said storage chamber is depleted.

21. The apparatus as claimed in any claim 17, further comprising:

said main body portion comprises a power source and control unit and said connecting tube further comprises a connection for connecting power and/or control signals to said further body portion.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said further body portion is arranged to fit a user'"'"'s hand.

23. The apparatus as claimed in any claim 17, further comprising:

a user button operable to initiate delivery of medicament.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

control circuitry arranged to control ejection of medicament to a user, subsequent to delivery being initiated, until a predetermined quantity of medicament is delivered.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said nebulizer is arranged to automatically repeat ejection of medicament until the occurrence of a predetermined event.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a metered dose inhaler comprising:

an inhaler body portion that is arranged to fit in a user'"'"'s hand and comprises a mouthpiece via which a user can inhale ejected liquid and/or liquid vapor.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, further comprising a user button operable to initiate delivery of medicament.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

control circuitry arranged to control ejection of medicament to a user, subsequent to delivery being initiated, until a predetermined quantity of medicament has been delivered.

29. The apparatus as claimed in any claim 26, wherein:

said storage chamber comprises a pressurized canister to provide a positive pressure to store liquid.

30. The apparatus as claimed in any claim 26, wherein:

said storage chamber comprises a spring loaded piston to provide a positive pressure to stored liquid.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a needleless injector.

32. A method of delivering a medicament to a user, comprising the steps of:

storing a quantity of a selected liquid comprising at least one medicament in a storage chamber;

selectively opening an inlet valve to thereby transfer a portion of liquid from said storage chamber to an ejection chamber;

selectively opening an exit valve of the ejection chamber when a parameter associated with the ejection chamber satisfies a predetermined condition; and

delivering medicament to a user by ejecting liquid vapor and/or liquid from said ejection chamber via said exit valve.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

subsequent to ejection of liquid and liquid vapor from said ejection chamber, selectively closing said exit valve.

34. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

subsequent to selectively opening said inlet valve, closing said inlet valve prior to opening said exit valve.

35. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

subsequent to opening said exit valve, closing said exit valve and opening a return valve thereby returning unspent liquid to said storage chamber.

36. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

locating a mouthpiece connected via a transfer passage to a downstream side of said exit valve in a mouth of said user.

37. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising:

opening said exit valve when a temperature of liquid in the ejection chamber is substantially equal to or greater than a saturation temperature associated with the liquid at a pressure equal to a pressure at a location downstream of said exit valve.

38. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said method comprises delivering the medicament via a hand held nebulizer, said method further comprising the steps of:

a user holding a body portion of said nebulizer, operating a user button to initiate drug delivery and automatically ejecting medicament to said user a plurality of times.

39. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said method comprises delivering the medicament via a desktop nebulizer, said method further comprising the steps of:

a user operating a user button on a body portion of the nebulizer;

pumping liquid from the storage chamber in a main body portion of the nebulizer to the inlet valve located in a further body portion of the nebulizer; and

delivering medicament via a mouthpiece of said further body portion.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

heating liquid in said storage chamber prior to pumping said liquid to said ejection chamber.

41. The method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

refilling said storage chamber with said liquid via a refill port at a desired time.

42. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said method comprises delivering the medicament via a metered dose inhaler, said method further comprising the steps of:

a user operating a user button of said inhaler; and

delivering a fixed dose of medicament to a mouthpiece of said inhaler.

43. The method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising injecting medicament into a user via a needleless process.

44. (canceled)

45. (canceled)