Delivery Device and Method

• US 9,566,402 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OptiNose, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OptiNose AS (OptiNose, Inc.)
• Inventors: Djupesland, Per Gisle
• Primary Examiner(s): Flick, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/822,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20160184537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 604/19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0091 mechanically breath-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0098 Activated by exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0493 with means for protecting the tube from damage caused by the patient's teeth, e.g. bite block
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0495 with tongue depressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/30 Vaccines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/065 Throat; Pharynx

Abstract

A delivery device for and method of delivering substance, in particular a vaccine, to a mucosal surface within the oral cavity of a subject, the device comprising: a mouthpiece unit to be gripped in the mouth of a subject, wherein the mouthpiece unit is configured such that, on exhalation or attempted exhalation by the subject, a pressure is developed in the oral cavity which is such as to close the oropharyngeal velum of the subject; and an oral outlet unit including at least one outlet from which substance is in use delivered to a mucosal surface within the oral cavity of the subject.

Claims

1. A delivery device for delivering a substance into an oral cavity of a subject, the device comprising:

a mouthpiece unit configured such that exhalation or attempted exhalation by the subject into the mouthpiece unit closes the oropharyngeal velum of the subject;

an oral outlet unit including at least one substance outlet from which the substance is delivered into the oral cavity of the subject; and

a substance supply unit which is actuatable to deliver the substance from the at least one substance outlet.

2. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a reflex-inducing fluid delivery unit for delivering a reflex-inducing fluid to the subject.

3. The delivery device of claim 2, further comprising a trigger unit configured to actuate both the substance supply unit and the reflex-inducing fluid delivery unit.

4. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a sucker element configured to fix the position of the at least one substance outlet relative to a hard palate of the subject.

5. The delivery device of claim 2, wherein the reflex-inducing fluid is air.

6. The delivery device of claim 2, wherein the reflex-inducing fluid is water.

7. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance is a medicament.

8. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance is a vaccine.

9. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the oral outlet unit is targeted to deliver the substance to the palatine tonsils of the subject.

10. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the oral outlet unit is targeted to deliver the substance to a mucosal surface within the oral cavity of the subject.

11. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the substance supply unit delivers a metered dose of the substance.

12. A delivery device for delivering a substance into the oral cavity of a subject, the device comprising:

a mouthpiece unit configured to be gripped in a mouth of the subject such that exhalation or attempted exhalation by the subject into the mouthpiece unit closes the oropharyngeal velum of the subject;

an oral outlet unit including at least one substance outlet from which the substance is delivered into the oral cavity of the subject;

an oral outlet unit positioner comprising a tongue depressor for depressing the tongue of the subject when the mouthpiece unit is gripped in the mouth of the subject.

13. The delivery device of claim 12, wherein the substance is a medicament.

14. The delivery device of claim 12, wherein the substance is a vaccine.

15. The delivery device of claim 12, wherein the tongue depressor is movable relative to the mouthpiece unit.

16. The delivery device of claim 12, wherein the oral outlet unit is targeted to deliver the substance to the palatine tonsils of the subject.

17. The delivery device of claim 12, wherein the mouthpiece unit comprises a mouthpiece including a flow channel through which the subject exhales to develop an exhalation air flow through the delivery device.

18. The delivery device of claim 12, further comprising a delivery unit comprising a substance supply unit which is actuatable to deliver the substance from the at least one substance outlet.

19. The delivery device of claim 18, further comprising a trigger unit configured to actuate the substance supply unit.

20. The delivery device of claim 18, wherein the substance supply unit contains multiple doses of the substance.

21. The delivery device of claim 18, wherein the substance supply unit delivers a metered dose of the substance.

22. The delivery unit of claim 12, wherein the substance is a powder.