Drug particle delivery

• US 6,475,181 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Powderject Research Limited (Pfizer Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Powderject Research Limited (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Potter, Charles David, Potter, David Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAYNARD, JENNIFER J
• Application Number:
  US09/462,217
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 604/68-72, 604/58, 604/59, 604/122, 604/131, 604/140, 604/141
• US Class Current: 604/68
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2053 Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3015 for injecting a dose of particles in form of powdered drug, e.g. mounted on a rupturable membrane and accelerated by a gaseous shock wave or supersonic gas flow cell injection devices C12M3/006
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/06 Closures, e.g. cap, breakable member for autoclaves B01J3/03; closures for large containers in general B65D B65D90/54; for pressure vessels in general F16J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0119 with flat end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/056 Small (<1 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0314 breakable, e.g. with burst discs
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0382 Constructional details of valves, regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/017 Helium
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/035 High pressure (>10 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0736 Capsules, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/00 Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases from pressure vessels, not covered by another subclass

Abstract

A needleless drug particle delivery device, of the kind in which firing of the drug particles is caused by a sudden gas flow, characterised in that the device comprises a container (14) of compressed gas and a mechanism for releasing the gas from the container to create the gas flow, the mechanism comprising a rupture (20) element for breaching the container and a manually manipulable actuator (27) for moving the element and the container relatively to one another to provide an initial breach whereby gas is released to act on a piston portion (21) to provide a servo action which causes the rupture element and container to move further suddenly relatively to one another to complete the breaching of the container and establish a maximum gas flow from the container.

Claims

1. A needleless particle delivery device for firing particles at a target surface using a sudden gas flow, characterised in that said device comprises a container of compressed gas and a mechanism for releasing gas from the container to create a gas flow through the device, the mechanism comprising an element for breaching the container and a manually manipulable actuator for moving the element and the container relative to one another to provide an initial breach whereby gas is released to help provide a servo action sufficient to suddenly move the element and container farther relative to one another, thereby finishing the breach of the container to establish a maximum gas flow therefrom.

2. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a lumen having an upstream end, and a downstream end. wherein the upstream end is adjacent to the container and has a rupturable membrane which is arranged over and closes off the upstream end of the lumen prior to being burst by release of the gas flow into the device.

3. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a particle-containing capsule which is opened by the gas flow when released into the device.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the element for breaching the container is use for initially cracking, and subsequently substantially snapping off, a tip of the container.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a finger or thumb piece with a cam attached thereto.

6. A device according to claim 1 further comprising an adjustable stop for limiting travel of the element, whereby the maximum gas flow from the container is adjustable.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the servo action is provided by the gas released by the initial breach acting upon a piston portion that is integral with the element.

8. A device according to claim 2 further comprising an evertible diaphragm arranged over the downstream end of the lumen.

9. A device according to claim 2, wherein the rupturable membrane is provided by a particle-containing capsule arranged over and closing off the upstream end of the lumen.

10. A particle delivery device for firing particles at a target surface using a sudden gas flow, characterized in that said device comprises a container of compressed gas, an element for breaching the container to release the compressed gas when the element and container are moved relative to each other, and an adjustable stop for limiting the relative movement of the element and container, whereby said adjustable stop provides an adjustable restriction on the maximum outflow of gas from the container.

11. A method for delivering particles to a target surface, sad method comprising:

(a) providing a particle delivery device that comprises a container of compressed gas, a sealed capsule containing the particles, and a mechanism for releasing gas from the container to create a gas flow through the device, the mechanism comprising an element for breaching the container and a manually manipulable actuator for moving the element and the container relative to one another to provide an initial breach whereby gas is released to help provide a servo action sufficient to suddenly move the element and container further relative to one another, thereby finishing the breach of the container to establish a maximum gas flow therefrom; and

(b) actuating the device against the target surface, thereby delivering said particles to said surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said particles are delivered into body tissue to provide for curative, prophylactic, diagnostic or other medical treatment.

13. A method for delivering particles to a target surface, said method comprising:

(a) providing a particle delivery device that comprises a container of compressed gas, an element for breaching the container to release the compressed gas when the element and container are moved relative to each other, a sealed capsule containing the particles, and an adjustable stop for limiting the relative movement of the element and container, whereby said adjustable stop provides all adjustable restriction on the maximum outflow of gas from the container and

(b) actuating the device against the target surface, thereby delivering said particles to said surface.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said particles are delivered into body tissue to provide for curative, prophylactic, diagnostic or other medical treatment.