Metered dose delivery device for liquid and powder agents

Abstract

A delivery device for the delivery of an agent to the mouth, nose or other bodily site of a user. The delivery device includes an aerosol canister that is actuated to expel propellant, which captures and disperses the agent. In a preferred embodiment, the propellant captures and disperses the agent into the mouth or nose of a user, and inhalation by the user directs the agent to the lungs of the user. The delivery device is particularly suitable for the treatment of bronchial asthma, respiratory conditions and for the delivery of systemically absorbed agents.

Description

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60 / 286,634, filed on Apr. 26, 2001, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to improved devices for the oral, nasal or topical delivery of finely divided materials, such as medicinal agents and drugs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device that delivers medicament to the mouth or nose of a user by use of an aerosol canister housing a propellant. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Certain disease of the respiratory tract are known to respond to treatment by the direct application of medicinal agents. As many such agents are most readily available as a finely divided material, e.g., in dry powdered form, their delivery is most conveniently accomplished by inhaling the finely divided material through the nose or mouth. This results in better utilization of the medicinal agent in that it is deposited e...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] The present invention provides a novel device for the oral or nasal delivery of agents, such as medicinal agents and drugs, which reduces or overcomes many deficiencies of prior art devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device that delivers an agent to the mouth or nose of a user by means of an aerosol canister housing a propellant. In particular, the present invention provides a device in which the agent and the propellant are kept separated, e.g. in separate containers or compartments, and combined at the instant of actuation. The delivery device may also provide beneficial effects for the delivery of agents to other bodily sites including, for example, the eye and ear.

Problems solved by technology

Accordingly, these devices suffer the disadvantage that the use must maintain the device in a particular position so that the finely divided material can pass by gravity to the collecting plate and is not dislodged therefrom prior to dispensing.

Inhalation sufficient to create such a substantial flow of air is difficult for some users, e.g., asthmatics.

Furthermore, it is believed that such devices deliver somewhat imprecise doses due to the inevitable variations in residue of finely divided material left behind in the container after dispensing.

Some known inhalation devices use members which vibrate to dispense the finely divided material, thus increasing the complexity and bulk of the device.

A relatively high velocity of air flow is required to activate such devices, again a problem for breath impaired users.

However, the manner in which many known devices operate renders hermetic sealing of the container of finely divided material impossible.

Certain drugs cannot be successfully mixed with propellants.

Further, such mixtures often result in agglomeration of the drug, degradation of the components, chemical instability, and limited shelf lives.

As a result, pure medicinal agent is not delivered.

However, this process is inconvenient and is often inaccurate because it does not take into account days in which more or fewer puffs are taken.

In most instances, known inhalation devices for finely divided materials are not capable of delivering such small quantities without the addition of a significant amount of filler.

It can be seen that presently known devices for the delivery of finely divided materials suffer disadvantages which include, among others, imprecise delivery, inability to deliver directly from a hermetically sealed container, agglomeration and clumping of the medicinal agents, reduced shelf life of the medicinal agents, chemical instability, inability to deliver small doses of pure medicinal agent, requirement of good coordination for use and high breath demands upon the user, requirement to shake the device to prevent settling of the medicinal agent, limited portability due to bulk, difficulty to keep track of how much medicinal agent has been used and how much remains and complexity of design.

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