SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERING A THERAPEUTIC AGENT

• US 20130331812A1
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Springleaf Therapeutics, Inc.
• Inventors: Booma, Glenn R., Pizzochero, Alessandro, Gyory, J. Richard
• Application Number:
  US13/684,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20130331812A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14506 mechanically driven, e.g. spring or clockwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/00 Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/00 Devices for applying media, e.g. remedies, on the human body devices for handling toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D; absorbent pads, e.g. swabs, A61F13/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/145 using pressurised reservoirs, e.g. pressurised by means of pistons

Abstract

Devices, methods, and kits for delivering a therapeutic agent to a patient are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a reservoir for containing a fluid, a first actuator, a transfer structure, and a second actuator. The first actuator has a first configuration and a second configuration and is configured to exert a first force on the reservoir when moved from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a first volume of fluid within the reservoir is communicated out of the fluid reservoir. The transfer structure is disposed between the first actuator and the reservoir and has a surface configured to engage the reservoir such that the first force exerted by the first actuator is distributed across a surface of the reservoir engaged by the transfer structure. The second actuator has a first configuration and a second configuration and is configured to exert a second force on the reservoir when the second actuator is moved from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a second volume of fluid within the reservoir is communication out of the fluid reservoir.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a reservoir for containing a fluid;

a first actuator having a first configuration and a second configuration, the first actuator configured to exert a first force on the reservoir when the first actuator moves from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a first volume of fluid within the reservoir is communicated out of the fluid reservoir;

a transfer structure disposed between the first actuator and the reservoir, the transfer structure having a surface configured to engage the reservoir such that the first force exerted by the first actuator is distributed across a surface of the reservoir engaged by the transfer structure; and

a second actuator having a first configuration and a second configuration, the second actuator configured to exert a second force on the reservoir when the second actuator moves from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a second volume of fluid within the reservoir is communicated out of the fluid reservoir.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface of the reservoir is a first surface, the second actuator configured to exert the second force on a second surface of the reservoir, the second surface being different than the first surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface of the reservoir is a first surface and the transfer structure is a first transfer structure, further comprising:

a second transfer structure disposed between the second actuator and the reservoir, the second transfer structure having a surface configured to engage the reservoir such that the first force exerted upon actuation of the first actuator is distributed across a second surface of the reservoir engaged by the second transfer structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first actuator includes a spring configured to exert the first force.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second actuator includes an electrochemical actuator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transfer structure is configured to activate a trigger associated with the second actuator when the first actuator moves from its first configuration to its second configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is configured to exert the first force in a first direction with respect to the reservoir upon movement of the first actuator towards its second configuration, the second actuator is configured to exert the second force in a second direction, different than the first direction, with respect to the reservoir when the second actuator moves towards its second configuration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is at least partially disposed within a housing, further comprising:

a cartridge assembly including at least one of the second actuator and the reservoir, the cartridge assembly configured to be received in an interior region defined by the housing, the cartridge assembly configured to displace the transfer structure when the cartridge assembly is loaded into the interior region of the housing such that at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator is moved to its first configuration.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a reservoir configured to contain a fluid;

a fluid communicator configured to be in fluid communication with the reservoir;

a first actuator including a mechanical actuator, the first actuator coupled to the reservoir and configured to exert a first force on the reservoir to urge fluid within the reservoir out of the reservoir through the fluid communicator; and

a second actuator including an electrochemical actuator, the second actuator coupled to the reservoir and configured to exert a second force on the reservoir to urge fluid within the reservoir out of the reservoir through the fluid communicator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electrochemical actuator includes an electrode configured to deflect when the electrochemical actuator is discharged, the deflection of the electrode being operative to exert the second force on the reservoir.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electrochemical actuator is a first electrochemical actuator, the first electrochemical actuator defining a first stroke when the electrochemical actuator is discharged, the second actuator including a second electrochemical actuator, the second electrochemical actuator defining a second stroke when the second electrochemical actuator is discharged, a stroke of the second actuator being collectively defined by the first stroke and the second stroke.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second actuator includes a first electrochemical actuator and a second electrochemical actuator.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first actuator is configured to exert the first force for a first time period, the second actuator is configured to exert the second force for a second time period after the first time period.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first time period at least partially overlaps with the second time period.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a transfer structure disposed between the reservoir and the first actuator, the transfer structure configured to transmit the first force to the reservoir upon actuation of the first actuator.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first volume of fluid and the second volume of fluid are collectively substantially equal to a total volume of fluid contained in the reservoir.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a first transfer structure disposed between first actuator and the reservoir, the first transfer structure configured to transmit the first force to the reservoir upon actuation of the first actuator; and

a second transfer structure disposed between the second actuator and the reservoir, the second transfer structure configured to transmit the second force to the reservoir.

18. A method for delivering a fluid, comprising:

actuating a first actuator including a mechanical actuator to exert a first force on a fluid reservoir such that a first volume of fluid within the fluid reservoir is communicated out of the reservoir and through a fluid communicator; and

actuating a second actuator including an electrochemical actuator to exert a second force on the fluid reservoir such that a second volume of fluid within the fluid reservoir is communicated out of the reservoir and through the fluid communicator.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein actuation of the first actuator exerts the first force on the fluid reservoir in a first direction, actuation of the second actuator exerts the second force on the fluid reservoir in a second direction different than the first direction.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first actuator is configured to exert the first force for a first time period, the second actuator is configured to exert the second force for a second time period after the first time period.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the first force is exerted by the first actuator onto a transfer structure configured to transmit the first force to the reservoir.

22. A kit, comprising:

a housing including an actuator; and

a reservoir configured to contain a fluid, the reservoir having a first configuration in which the reservoir is separate from the housing, the reservoir having a second configuration in which at least a portion of the reservoir is received in the housing, the actuator configured to exert a force on the reservoir when the reservoir is in its second configuration such that at a volume of the fluid is communicated out of the reservoir.

23. The kit of claim 22, further comprising:

a cartridge assembly configured to be slidably inserted into an opening in the housing, the cartridge assembly including the reservoir.

24. The kit of claim 22, wherein the actuator is configured to be placed in a pre-loaded position when the cartridge assembly is inserted into the opening of the housing.