Oral delivery of discrete units

• US 6,106,845 A
• Filed: 04/27/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rosen, Howard B., Wong, Patrick S. -L., Gardner, Phyllis I., Roth, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Spear, James M.
• Application Number:
  US09/299,740
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 424/473, 424/438, 424/451, 424/464, 424/400, 424/439, 424/489, 604/56, 604/85
• US Class Current: 424/400
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/183 with means for changing the flavour of the liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0038 Straws
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0092 Hollow drug-filled fibres, tubes of the core-shell type, coated fibres, coated rods, microtubules or nanotubes

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an oral active agent delivery system and method for delivering discrete units of an active agent formulation to a patient. An active agent formulation chamber containing the active agent formulation and having a fluid passing active agent formulation retainer is placed at a first end into a fluid and at a second end into a patient'"'"'s mouth. The active agent is delivered when the patient sips on the second end of the chamber.

Claims

1. An oral active agent delivery system for delivering to a patient active agent in admixture with a fluid, comprising:

a tubular active agent chamber, said chamber having a first end configured for fluid communication with the fluid and a second end configured for oral application of suction by the patient; and

a fluid passing active agent retainer in said active agent chamber, wherein said retainer prevents release of the active agent from said first end of said chamber while permitting fluid entry into said chamber, said retainer being transportable toward said second end of said chamber with the fluid entering said first end of said chamber upon application of suction at said second end.

2. The delivery system of claim 1, further comprising:

an active agent retainer in said second end of said active agent chamber, wherein said active agent retainer in said second end prevents release of said active agent from said second end prior to use.

3. The delivery system of claim 2 wherein said active agent retainer in said second end of said chamber comprises a rotary valve.

4. The delivery system of claim 2 wherein said active agent retainer in said second end of said chamber comprises a narrowing in said second end of said chamber.

5. The delivery system of claim 2 wherein said active agent retainer in said second end of said chamber comprises a removable end cap.

6. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein said active agent retainer comprises a one-way plug.

7. The delivery system of claim 6, wherein the position of said plug is an indicator of the extent of active agent delivery.

8. The delivery system of claim 1, further comprising:

an end cap concentrically surrounding said first end of said chamber.

9. A method for delivering to a patient a dose of discrete units of active agent in admixture with a fluid, comprising:

providing a tubular member that contains the dose of discrete units of active agent and a transportable active agent retainer positioned in the tubular member between the dose of discrete units of active agent and a first end of the tubular member configured for fluid communication with the fluid; and

applying suction to a second end of the tubular member to draw fluid into the tubular member, so that the transportable active agent retainer moves from the first end of the tubular member towards the second end to aid delivery of the admixture of the dose and the fluid through the second end into the patient'"'"'s mouth.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the dose comprises an active agent selected from the group consisting of antibiotics, antiviral agents, anepileptics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents and bronchodilators.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the discrete units are selected from the group consisting of particulates, oral dosage forms and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the discrete units provide for prolonged delivery of the active agent.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the discrete units provide for immediate delivery of the active agent.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the discrete units provide for delayed pulsed delivery of the active agent.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the discrete units comprise oral dosage forms that comprise an osmotic layer and an active agent layer.