Programmable multi-dose intranasal drug delivery device
First Claim
1. A method for controlling the minimum time interval between the self-administration of a plurality of prescribed unit doses of an intranasal pharmaceutical composition intranasally by a patient capable of self-administering the composition, the method comprising:
- a) providing a plurality of sealed vials, each vial having an access orifice and containing the prescribed unit dose of the pharmaceutical composition;
b) providing a drug delivery device having a microprocessor, a power source, and means for securing a plurality of the sealed vials containing the pharmaceutical composition in a predetermined array and dispensing means for recovering the pharmaceutical composition from each of the vials and dispensing the pharmaceutical composition in the form of a spray for intranasal administration in response to a manual activation force applied to the drug delivery device by the patient;
c) securing a plurality of the sealed vials to a supporting member rotatably mounted in the drug delivery device in the predetermined array;
d) programming the microprocessor to generate a signal at the end of a prescribed period of time following the dispensing of a dose of pharmaceutical composition from a vial;
e) generating a signal to initiate sequential movement of the vials relative to the dispensing means; and
f) sequentially moving each of the vials containing the pharmaceutical composition relative to the dispensing means at the end of a prescribed time interval following activation of the dispensing means to intranasally administer a dose of the liquid composition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for the self-administration of a plurality of doses of an intranasal liquid pharmaceutical composition, including opioid analgesics, that includes a drug delivery device containing a plurality of sealed vials, each vial containing a predetermined volume of the pharmaceutical composition, a pump assembly for conveying the liquid pharmaceutical composition from the interior of the vial and discharging it as a nasal spray in response to manual activation by the patient, and programmable means for sequentially advancing a vial to the ready position after passage of a prescribed time interval following the last activation of the delivery device.
266 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for controlling the minimum time interval between the self-administration of a plurality of prescribed unit doses of an intranasal pharmaceutical composition intranasally by a patient capable of self-administering the composition, the method comprising:
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a) providing a plurality of sealed vials, each vial having an access orifice and containing the prescribed unit dose of the pharmaceutical composition;
b) providing a drug delivery device having a microprocessor, a power source, and means for securing a plurality of the sealed vials containing the pharmaceutical composition in a predetermined array and dispensing means for recovering the pharmaceutical composition from each of the vials and dispensing the pharmaceutical composition in the form of a spray for intranasal administration in response to a manual activation force applied to the drug delivery device by the patient;
c) securing a plurality of the sealed vials to a supporting member rotatably mounted in the drug delivery device in the predetermined array;
d) programming the microprocessor to generate a signal at the end of a prescribed period of time following the dispensing of a dose of pharmaceutical composition from a vial;
e) generating a signal to initiate sequential movement of the vials relative to the dispensing means; and
f) sequentially moving each of the vials containing the pharmaceutical composition relative to the dispensing means at the end of a prescribed time interval following activation of the dispensing means to intranasally administer a dose of the liquid composition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for the intranasal administration of a plurality of doses of a liquid pharmaceutical composition, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a plurality of sealed vials, each vial having an access orifice and containing a predetermined volume of the pharmaceutical composition;
b) a vial supporting member having supports for receiving the plurality of sealed vials;
c) a pump assembly including a liquid delivery channel for conveying the liquid pharmaceutical composition from the interior of the vial to a discharge outlet;
d) a pump activator cooperating with said pump assembly;
e) means for sequentially aligning the pump assembly with the access orifice of each of the vials to permit discharge of the liquid pharmaceutical composition from the aligned vial upon actuation of the pump;
f) an ergonomic intranasal cap affixed to said pump assembly and in communication with said pump assembly discharge outlet;
g) motive means for moving the vial support member relative to the pump assembly;
h) release means for restricting the movement of the vial support member relative to the pump assembly; and
i) a programmable control means for controlling the release means, whereby the support member advances a vial containing pharmaceutical composition into alignment with the pump assembly for discharging the pharmaceutical composition upon activation of the pump actuator. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for the intranasal administration of a plurality of predetermined unit doses of a liquid pharmaceutical composition, each of said unit doses being contained in a plurality of sealed vials of uniform dimension, said apparatus comprising:
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a) a vial supporting member for receiving the plurality of sealed vials each of said vials having an access orifice;
b) a pump assembly including a liquid delivery channel for conveying the liquid pharmaceutical composition from the interior of a vial to a discharge outlet;
c) a pump activator cooperating with said pump assembly d) means for aligning the pump assembly and the access orifice of each of the vials to permit discharge of the liquid pharmaceutical composition from the aligned vial upon activation of the pump;
e) an ergonomic intranasal cap affixed to said pump assembly and in communication with said pump assembly discharge outlet;
f) motive means for moving the vial support member relative to the pump assembly;
g) release means for restricting the movement of the vial support member relative to the pump assembly; and
h) a preprogrammed microprocessor for controlling the release means, whereby the support member advances a vial containing pharmaceutical composition into alignment for discharging the pharmaceutical composition upon activation of the pump actuator in response to a signal from the microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification