Nasal Administration

Abstract

A delivery device for and method of providing for delivery of substance to the central nervous system (CNS) of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a nosepiece unit for insertion into a nasal airway of a subject and comprising an outlet unit which includes a nozzle for delivering substance into the nasal airway of the subject; and a substance supply unit which is operable to deliver a dose of substance to the nozzle; wherein the delivery device is configured such that at least 30% of the dose as initially deposited in the nasal airway is deposited in an upper posterior region of the nasal airway, thereby providing a CNS concentration of the substance, and hence CNS effect, which is significantly greater than that which would be predicted from a counterpart blood plasma concentration of the substance.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2 / 161,466, filed on Feb. 1, 2011, which is a U.S. National phase application of PCT / GB2006 / 000182 filed Jan. 19, 2006, the disclosure of which applications are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to the nasal administration of substances, in particular drugs, to the central nervous system (CNS) via the nasal airway.BACKGROUND[0003]Referring to FIG. 1(a), the nasal airway 1 comprises the two nasal cavities separated by the nasal septum, which airway 1 includes numerous ostia, such as the paranasal sinus ostia 3 and the tubal ostia 5, and olfactory cells, and is lined by the nasal mucosa. The nasal airway 1 can communicate with the nasopharynx 7, the oral cavity 9 and the lower airway 11, with the nasal airway 1 being in selective communication with the anterior region of the nasopharynx 7 and the oral cavity 9 by openin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present inventors have recognized that an increased delivery of substance to the posterior region of the nasal airway, and in particular the upper posterior region of the nasal airway, as illustrated in FIG. 1(b), relative to the anterior region of the nasal airway, surprisingly provides for a disproportionately greater CNS effect, which is suggestive of a greater uptake of substance into the CNS than would be predicted from the blood plasma concentration of the substance.

[0020]Recently, there has been a growing interest in alternative forms of drug administration, and in particular nasal administration. Nasal administration, with transmucosal absorption, can offer advantages, such as case of administration, rapid onset and patient control. Also, in bypassing gastrointestinal and hepatic pre-systemic elimination, nasal administration is applicable in nauseated and vomiting patients who may have problems in taking oral medication.

Problems solved by technology

However, high blood plasma concentrations can cause unwanted effects, notably, systemic side effects.

This may be particularly problematic in systems which require a rapid onset of action, as such systems rely on achieving high blood plasma concentrations in order to create a significant driving gradient for the rapid uptake of drug into the CNS.

Images