Oral osmotic device
First Claim
1. An osmotic device for the controlled delivery of a beneficial agent to an oral cavity of an animal over an extended delivery period, the device having a size and shape suitable for comfortably retaining the device in the oral cavity for the extended delivery period, the device including a wall surrounding a solid dose of the beneficial agent, the beneficial agent exhibiting at least some degree of solubility in an aqueous fluid present in the oral cavity, and a fibrous support material comprised of hydrophilic water-insoluble fibers selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, microcrystalline cellulose fibers, cellulose ester fibers, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose fiber, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose fibers, seaweed fibers, chitin fibers, chitsan fibers, and blends thereof, the wall having a passageway communicating the solid dose with the exterior of the device, the wall being formed of a semipermeable material which is (i) permeable to the passage of the aqueous fluid and (ii) substantially impermeable to the passage of the fibrous support material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An osmotic device (10) for delivering a beneficial drug, such as an anti-microbial drug, into the mouth of a human patient is disclosed. The device (10) has a size and shape adapting it to be comfortably retained in the mouth for extended periods of time. The device comprises a thin semipermeable membrane wall (12) surrounding a compartment (13) housing a beneficial agent (14) that has at least some degree of solubility in aqueous biological fluids, e.g., saliva, and a fibrous support material (15) composed of hydrophilic water-insoluble fibers. A passageway (17) in the wall (12) connects the agent 14) with the exterior of the device (10). The wall (12) is permeable to the passage of aqueous biological fluid but substantially impermeable to the passage of the fibrous support material (15). The fibrous support material (15), once hydrated, provides a rigid support for the thin semipermeable wall (12) and prevents the device (10) from prematurely releasing the beneficial agent (14) even when the device (10) is subjected to patient sucking.
114 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. An osmotic device for the controlled delivery of a beneficial agent to an oral cavity of an animal over an extended delivery period, the device having a size and shape suitable for comfortably retaining the device in the oral cavity for the extended delivery period, the device including a wall surrounding a solid dose of the beneficial agent, the beneficial agent exhibiting at least some degree of solubility in an aqueous fluid present in the oral cavity, and a fibrous support material comprised of hydrophilic water-insoluble fibers selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, microcrystalline cellulose fibers, cellulose ester fibers, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose fiber, low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose fibers, seaweed fibers, chitin fibers, chitsan fibers, and blends thereof, the wall having a passageway communicating the solid dose with the exterior of the device, the wall being formed of a semipermeable material which is (i) permeable to the passage of the aqueous fluid and (ii) substantially impermeable to the passage of the fibrous support material.
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4. A method for controlled delivery of a beneficial agent into an oral cavity of an animal over an extended delivery period, comprising:
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a) placing in the oral cavity of the animal an osmotic device having a size and shape suitable for comfortably retaining the device in the oral cavity for the extended delivery period, the device including a shaped semipermeable wall surrounding a solid dose of a beneficial agent that exhibits at least some degree of solubility in an aqueous fluid present in the oral cavity, a fibrous support material comprising hydrophilic water-insoluble fibers, and a passageway in the semipermeable wall connecting the exterior of the device and the agent for delivering the agent from the device into the oral cavity at a controlled rate over the extended delivery period, the wall being permeable to the passage of the aqueous fluid and substantially impermeable to the passage of the fibrous support material; b) allowing the aqueous fluid present in the oral cavity to permeate through the semipermeable wall to form a liquid solution of the beneficial agent; and c) delivering the solution of the beneficial agent into the oral cavity over the extended delivery period. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification