Swallowable multi-nozzle dosing device for releasing medicines in the gastrointestinal tract
First Claim
1. An ingestible capsule for dispensing a medicament at or near tissue sites of interest, the capsule comprising:
- a sidewall;
a medicament reservoir for storing the medicament, disposed within the sidewall;
at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser in fluid communication with the medicament reservoir, each at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser including a nozzle arranged to eject medicament through the sidewall, along a dispensing axis angled at a non-zero angle relative to an axis normal the sidewall at the nozzle;
a controller communicating with the dispenser to control release of the medicament through the nozzle; and
a power source for providing power to one or more components of the capsule.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capsule and methodology for dispensing a medicament in the gastrointestinal tract of a mammal is disclosed, the gastrointestinal tract having tissue sites of interest. The capsule may include a medicament reservoir; medicament dispensing means such as a plurality of piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispensers; a power source; electronic control circuitry means and/or detecting means capable of communicating with a medicament dispensing means for regulating the amount and time interval for dispensing of the medicament into the gastrointestinal tract by the medicament dispensing means; and a non-digestible outer protective shell housing, e.g., the medicament reservoir, medicament dispensing means and electronic control circuitry means. A plurality of the nozzle dispensers of the medicament dispensing means can be positioned tangentially to a surface of the housing such that during release of a medicament, the capsule is caused to rotate and/or translate so as to discharge the medicament homogeneously onto tissue sites of interest. In addition, by using multiple nozzles and releasing medicament at high speed, this facilitates medicament absorption by the intestines in the gastrointestinal tract.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An ingestible capsule for dispensing a medicament at or near tissue sites of interest, the capsule comprising:
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a sidewall; a medicament reservoir for storing the medicament, disposed within the sidewall; at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser in fluid communication with the medicament reservoir, each at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser including a nozzle arranged to eject medicament through the sidewall, along a dispensing axis angled at a non-zero angle relative to an axis normal the sidewall at the nozzle; a controller communicating with the dispenser to control release of the medicament through the nozzle; and a power source for providing power to one or more components of the capsule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for dispensing a medicament in the gastrointestinal tract of a mammal, the gastrointestinal tract having tissue sites of interest, the method comprising:
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orally administering an ingestible capsule accommodating the medicament, the capsule comprising a sidewall;
a medicament reservoir within the sidewall storing a medicament; and
at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser including a nozzle arranged to eject medicament through the sidewall, along a dispensing axis angled, at a non-zero angle, relative to an axis normal the sidewall at the nozzle; androtating the capsule proximate the tissue site of interest by ejecting the medicament along the dispensing axis according to a medicament release profile. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A capsule comprising:
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a reservoir for storing a medicament; and at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser in fluid communication with the medicament reservoir, each at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser including a nozzle arranged to eject medicament through a sidewall of the capsule along a dispensing axis angled, at a non-zero angle, relative to an axis normal the sidewall at the nozzle, wherein the medicament is retained by one or more micelles so as to be dispensable in accordance with a medicament release profile. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A capsule comprising:
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a reservoir for storing one or more medicaments; at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser in fluid communication with the medicament reservoir, each at least one piezoelectric droplet jet nozzle dispenser including a nozzle arranged to eject medicament through a sidewall of the capsule along a dispensing axis angled, at a non-zero angle, relative to an axis normal the sidewall at the nozzle; and a pressure sensor for detecting contraction pressure associated with at least one peristaltic contraction, wherein one or more medicaments are retained via said capsule so as to be dispensed in response to detection of one or more peristaltic contractions.
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Specification