Method and delivery device for the transdermal administration of a substance
First Claim
1. A device for introducing a substance into the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
- a housing having a central opening;
a planar member positioned in said central opening of said housing, said planar member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface having a plurality of microneedles extending therefrom, at least one opening passing through said planar member from said inner surface to said outer surface, and at least one cannula on said inner surface;
a flexible, deformable cover coupled to said housing and overlying said central opening and being spaced from said planar member to define a cavity in said housing; and
a bladder containing at least one substance and being positioned in said cavity of said housing between said planar member and said flexible cover, said bladder being piercable by said cannula and collapsible by pressing and deforming said flexible cover to dispense said substance through said opening to said microneedles.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for delivering a substance into the skin of a patient includes a housing and a plurality of microneedles for penetrating the skin. The housing includes a bottom wall with a plurality of apertures for supplying the substance to the microneedles. The housing also includes a flexible top cover member enclosing a bladder containing the substance to be delivered. The bottom wall of the housing has at least one cannula facing the bladder. Pressing on the top cover member causes the cannula to puncture the bladder and deliver the substance to the microneedles for delivery to the patient. In one embodiment, the cannula is surrounded by a flexible member to prevent piercing of the bladder until sufficient pressure is applied to the cover member to depress the flexible member.
288 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A device for introducing a substance into the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having a central opening;
a planar member positioned in said central opening of said housing, said planar member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface having a plurality of microneedles extending therefrom, at least one opening passing through said planar member from said inner surface to said outer surface, and at least one cannula on said inner surface;
a flexible, deformable cover coupled to said housing and overlying said central opening and being spaced from said planar member to define a cavity in said housing; and
a bladder containing at least one substance and being positioned in said cavity of said housing between said planar member and said flexible cover, said bladder being piercable by said cannula and collapsible by pressing and deforming said flexible cover to dispense said substance through said opening to said microneedles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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15. A device for introducing a substance into the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having a central opening;
a bottom member positioned in said central opening of said housing, said member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface having a plurality of microneedles extending therefrom, at least one opening passing through said member from said inner surface to said outer surface, and at least one cannula;
a flexible cover coupled to said housing and overlying said central opening and being spaced from said member to define a cavity in said housing, wherein said housing has a bottom surface surrounding said member, said device further comprising an adhesive on said bottom surface for attaching said housing to the skin of a patient; and
a bladder containing at least one substance and being positioned in said cavity of said housing between said member and said flexible cover, said bladder being piercable by said cannula and collapsible by pressing said flexible cover to dispense said substance through said opening to said microneedles.
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21. A delivery device for delivering a substance to the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having a bottom wall and at least one side wall defining a cavity, said bottom wall having a plurality of microneedles and a plurality of passages extending through said bottom wall to said microneedles;
a flexible cover coupled to said housing and enclosing said cavity, said flexible cover having a generally arcuate shaped outer surface in a first position and being deformable from said first position to a second position toward said bottom wall; and
a bladder containing a substance, said bladder being positioned in said cavity and being collapsible by applying pressure to said flexible cover to dispense said substance through said passages in said bottom wall to said microneedles. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29)
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27. A delivery device for delivering a substance to the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having a bottom wall and at least one side wall defining a cavity, said bottom wall having a plurality of microneedles and a plurality of passages extending through said bottom wall to said microneedles;
a flexible cover coupled to said housing and enclosing said cavity, said flexible cover having a generally arcuate shaped outer surface in a first position and being movable from said first position to a second position toward said bottom wall;
a bladder containing a substance, said bladder being positioned in said cavity and being collapsible by applying pressure to said flexible cover to dispense said substance through said passages in said bottom wall to said microneedles; and
a flexible film attached to said housing, said film surrounding said housing and extending outwardly therefrom, and having an adhesive on a bottom face for attaching said delivery device to the skin of a patient.
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30. A method of administering a substance through the skin of a patient, comprising the steps of
providing a delivery device having a housing with a bottom wall and at least one side wall defining a cavity, said bottom wall having an outer surface with a plurality of microneedles extending therefrom and having a plurality of passages extending through said bottom wall from said cavity to said microneedles, a bladder containing at least one substance and being positioned in said cavity, and a flexible, deformable cover enclosing said cavity; -
contacting said device to the skin of a patient and applying sufficient pressure to said device to cause said microneedles to penetrate the skin a sufficient depth for delivering said substance to the patient; and
applying sufficient pressure to said flexible cover-to rupture said bladder and dispense said substance to said microneedles. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of administering a substance through the skin of a patient, comprising the steps of
providing a delivery device having a housing with a bottom wall and at least one side wall defining a cavity, said bottom wall having an outer surface with a plurality of microneedles extending therefrom and having a plurality of passages extending through said bottom wall from said cavity to said microneedles, a bladder containing at least one substance and being positioned in said cavity, and a flexible, deformable cover enclosing said cavity; -
said device further comprising a resilient protecting member on said inner surface of said bottom wall, said protecting member having a height greater than a height of said cannula and being positioned to prevent said bladder from contacting said cannula, said method comprising pressing said cover with sufficient pressure to push said bladder into contact with said cannula to pierce said bladder;
contacting said device to the skin of a patient and applying sufficient pressure to said device to cause said microneedles to penetrate the skin a sufficient depth for delivering said substance to the patient; and
applying sufficient pressure to said flexible cover to rupture said bladder and dispense said substance to said microneedles. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A device for introducing a substance into the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having a central opening;
a bottom member positioned in said central opening of said housing, said member having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface having a plurality of microneedles extending therefrom, at least one opening passing through said member from said inner surface to said outer surface;
a flexible cover coupled to said housing and overlying said central opening and being spaced from said member to define a cavity in said housing;
a cannula extending into said central opening;
a bladder containing at least one substance and being positioned in said cavity of said housing between said member and said flexible cover, said bladder being piercable by said cannula and collapsible by pressing said flexible cover to dispense said substance through said opening to said microneedles; and
a protecting member in said cavity to prevent said bladder from contacting said cannula until sufficient pressure is applied to said flexible cover. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A delivery device for delivering a substance to the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having a bottom wall and at least one side wall defining a cavity, said bottom wall having a plurality of microneedles and a plurality of passages extending through said bottom wall to said microneedles;
a flexible cover having an outer portion coupled to said housing and a central portion enclosing said cavity, said outer portion of said flexible cover being deformable from a first position spaced from said bottom wall to a second position toward said bottom wall; and
a bladder containing a substance, said bladder being positioned in said cavity and being collapsible by applying pressure to said flexible cover to dispense said substance through said passages in said bottom wall to said microneedles. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 55)
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54. A delivery device for delivering a substance to the skin of a patient, said device comprising:
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a housing having a bottom wall and at least one side wall defining a cavity, said bottom wall having a plurality of microneedles and a plurality of passages extending through said bottom wall to said microneedles and a cannula extending into said cavity;
a bladder containing a substance, said bladder being positioned in said cavity and being collapsible by applying pressure to said bladder toward said bottom wall to dispense said substance through said passages in said bottom wall to said microneedles; and
a protecting member positioned in said cavity to prevent said bladder from contacting said cannula until sufficient pressure is applied to said bladder. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57)
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Specification