Systems and methods for aerosolizing pharmaceutical formulations
First Claim
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1. A method for aerosolizing a pharmaceutical formulation, the method comprising:
- placing a valve within an airway leading to the lungs to prevent respiratory gases from flowing to the lungs when user attempts to inhale, and then abruptly permitting respiratory gases to flow to the lungs by opening the valve when a threshold actuating vacuum caused by the attempted inhalation is exceeded, wherein the threshold actuating vacuum is in a range from about 20 cm H2O to about 60 cm H2O; and
using the flow of respiratory gases to extract a pharmaceutical formulation from a receptacle and to place the pharmaceutical formulation within the flow of respiratory gases to form an aerosol.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for aerosolizing a pharmaceutical formulation. According to one method, respiratory gases are prevented from flowing to the lungs when attempting to inhale. Then, respiratory gases are abruptly permitted to flow to the lungs. The flow of respiratory gases may then be used to extract a pharmaceutical formulation from a receptacle and to place the pharmaceutical formulation within the flow of respiratory gases to form an aerosol.
282 Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method for aerosolizing a pharmaceutical formulation, the method comprising:
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placing a valve within an airway leading to the lungs to prevent respiratory gases from flowing to the lungs when user attempts to inhale, and then abruptly permitting respiratory gases to flow to the lungs by opening the valve when a threshold actuating vacuum caused by the attempted inhalation is exceeded, wherein the threshold actuating vacuum is in a range from about 20 cm H2O to about 60 cm H2O; and
using the flow of respiratory gases to extract a pharmaceutical formulation from a receptacle and to place the pharmaceutical formulation within the flow of respiratory gases to form an aerosol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for administering a pharmaceutical formulation, the method comprising:
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providing an inhalation device comprising a housing having a first opening to ambient air, a second opening to ambient air, a valve between said openings, and a mouthpiece at one of said openings;
preventing respiratory gases from flowing to the lungs when a user attempts to inhale through said mouthpiece;
permitting a first predetermined volume of respiratory gases to flow to the lungs, said first volume being sufficient to transport substantially all of a unit dose of a pharmaceutical formulation contained within the inhalation device out of the device and into the respiratory tract of a patient; and
permitting a second volume of respiratory gases to flow to the lungs. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An aerosolization device comprising:
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a housing defining an airway;
a coupling mechanism adapted to couple a receptacle containing a pharmaceutical formulation to the airway; and
a valve to prevent respiratory gases from flowing through the airway until a threshold actuating vacuum is exceeded at which time the valve opens to permit respiratory gases to flow through the airway and to extract the pharmaceutical formulation from the receptacle to form an aerosol wherein the threshold actuating vacuum of the valve is in a range from about 20 cm H2O to about 60 cm H2O. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method for aerosolizing a pharmaceutical formulation, the method comprising:
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placing a valve within an airway leading to the lungs to prevent respiratory gases from flowing to the lungs when a user attempts to inhale, and then abruptly permitting respiratory gases to flow to the lungs by opening the valve when a threshold actuating vacuum caused by the attempted inhalation is exceeded, wherein the threshold actuating vacuum is in a range from about 20 cm H2O to about 60 cm H2O; and
using the flow of respiratory gases to extract a pharmaceutical formulation from a receptacle and to place the pharmaceutical formulation within the flow of respiratory gases to form an aerosol. wherein the receptacle comprises a penetrable portion above a chamber which holds the pharmaceutical formulation, and further comprising penetrating the penetrable portion to expose the pharmaceutical formulation.
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55. An aerosolization device comprising:
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a housing defining an airway;
a coupling mechanism adapted to couple a receptacle containing a pharmaceutical formulation to the airway; and
a valve to prevent respiratory gases from flowing through the airway until a threshold actuating vacuum is exceeded at which time the valve opens to permit respiratory gases to flow through the airway and to extract the pharmaceutical formulation from the receptacle to form an aerosol, wherein the threshold actuating vacuum of the valve is in a range from about 20 cm H2O to about 60 cm H2O, wherein the device comprises a member adapted to penetrate a penetrable portion of the receptacle to expose the pharmaceutical formulation.
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Specification