Nitric oxide delivery system

• US 7,025,869 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vero Biotech LLC
• Original Assignee: CyTerra Corp. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wheeler, David, Fine, David H., Jarvis, George, MacDonald, Stephen J., Rolfe, Jonathan L., Rounbehler, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Edna
• Application Number:
  US10/229,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20030064115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 205/553, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 424/718
• US Class Current: 205/553
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/00 Medicinal preparations containing inorganic active ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/24 Heavy metals; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/30 Zinc; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 33/34 Copper; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/007 Pulmonary tract; Aromatherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/2031 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, poloxamers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/205 Polysaccharides, e.g. alginate, gums; Cyclodextrin
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/7007 Drug-containing films, membranes or sheets A61K9/0041, A61K9/0043, A61K9/006, A61K9/0063 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/10 Preparation of respiratory gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/12 by mixing different gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/1035 the anaesthetic agent concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0275 Nitric oxide [NO]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/06 Packaging for specific medical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 21/24 Nitric oxide (NO) C01B21/203 takes precedence

Abstract

Inhalation of low levels of nitric oxide can rapidly and safely decrease pulmonary hypertension in mammals. Precise delivery of nitric oxide at therapeutic levels of 20 to 100 ppm and inhibition of reaction of nitric oxide with oxygen to form toxic impurities such as nitrogen dioxide can provide effective inhalation therapy for pulmonary hypertension.

Claims

1. A method of delivering nitric oxide to a mammal comprising:

disposing a cathode and an anode in a solution of a nitric oxide precursor that includes a precursor salt;

applying a voltage across the cathode and anode to generate nitric oxide substantially devoid of nitrogen dioxide;

contacting a transport gas with the solution of nitric oxide precursor to form a therapeutic gas; and

transporting the therapeutic gas to a mammal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor salt includes a precursor salt concentration between 0.1% to 50%.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the precursor salt concentration is between 1% and 20%.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the precursor salt includes an alkali metal nitrite, alkali metal nitrate, alkaline earth metal nitrite, alkaline earth metal nitrate or ammonium nitrate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the nitric oxide precursor includes a salt selected from the group consisting of potassium nitrite, sodium nitrite, rubidium nitrite, strontium nitrite, barium nitrite, calcium nitrite, copper nitrite, zinc nitrite, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, rubidium nitrate, strontium nitrate, barium nitrate, calcium nitrate, copper nitrate and zinc nitrate.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the nitric oxide precursor includes sodium nitrite.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic gas includes at least 1 ppm of nitric oxide.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic gas includes less than 100 ppm of nitric oxide.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic gas includes 20 to 60 ppm of nitric oxide.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transporting the therapeutic gas includes releasing nitric oxide over a period of time from one hour to seven days.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein transporting the therapeutic gas includes releasing nitric oxide over a period of time from two hours to 24 hours.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein transporting the therapeutic gas includes releasing nitric oxide for at least one hour.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the transport gas includes oxygen.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the transport gas includes ambient air.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the transport gas includes an air and oxygen mixture.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic gas is substantially devoid of nitrogen dioxide.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein contacting the transport gas with the solution of nitric oxide precursor includes flowing transport gas over the solution of nitric oxide precursor.