MEDICAL DEVICE FOR THE SAFE ADMINISTERING OF A MEDICINE IN LIQUID FORM

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical device for the safe administration, by inhalation, of a drug in fluid form.

[0002] The invention has applications in the medical field, in particular, for the administration of drugs via the upper and lower respiratory tract with a desired systemic or local effect. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A medicinal product is defined as any substance or composition presented as having curative or preventive properties with regard to human or animal diseases, as well as any substance or composition that may be used in or administered to humans or animals for the purpose of establishing a medical diagnosis or restoring, correcting, or modifying their physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic action (www.legifrance.gouv.fr / codes / id / LEGISCTA000006171363). The part of the medicinal product responsible for its pharmacological action is the active ingredient.

[0004] The therapeutic response to a drug depends on factors that determine its absorption, distribution, effect on sites of action, metabolism, and elimination. A patient's therapeutic response to drug administration includes desired effects, corresponding to the therapeutic objective, and undesired effects, called adverse effects, which are more or less predictable.

[0005] A drug can be administered to a patient via different routes, called routes of administration. The route of administration determines where a drug is absorbed and the rate at which it enters the bloodstream. The site of absorption is a key factor in the drug's bioavailability. Bioavailability is the amount of drug available in the body to reach its sites of action and produce a pharmacological effect. Bioavailability depends on the amount of active ingredient absorbed at the absorption site, the rate of absorption, and the rate of entry into the bloodstream. By definition, a drug administered intravenously has a bioavailability of 100%.A drug administered via other routes generally has lower bioavailability due to partial absorption through tissues (skin, mucous membranes) and its sometimes extensive tissue metabolism (particularly hepatic). A drug's bioavailability depends, among other things, on the type and size of the absorption surface and the drug's physicochemical characteristics. The larger the absorption surface, the greater the amount of drug absorbed and, consequently, the higher the bioavailability. Furthermore, preventing the drug from undergoing early metabolism (primarily gastrointestinal and hepatic) after absorption increases its bioavailability.

[0006] The route of administration can be an invasive route such as, for example, intravenous, intra-arterial, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intra-articular injection, etc. Conversely, the route of administration can be a non-invasive route such as, for example, absorption through mucous membranes (nasal, ocular, sublingual, oral, gastrointestinal, rectal mucous membranes) or absorption through the skin (transdermal route).

[0007] One of the most effective routes of administration is the intravenous route. However, not only is this route invasive, but it also requires the patient to be in a medical setting with the presence of trained and competent personnel.

[0008] One of the most common routes of administration is oral administration by ingestion of the drug. While this route has the advantage that the patient can self-administer the drug, it also has the disadvantage of resulting in a relatively long delay in the onset of the therapeutic effect (on the order of several tens of minutes to several hours) or even a reduced delay due to the slowing of the speed and quantity of drug reaching the venous circulation due to the physiological delay related to gastrointestinal transit and sometimes significant tissue metabolism (particularly hepatic).

[0009] Sublingual administration, with absorption through the oral mucosa, is also a common route. However, the absorption surface area is small, which limits the amount of active ingredient absorbed.

[0010] Another commonly used route of administration is inhalation. This route has the advantage of being non-invasive and is generally used for local actions, primarily bronchial, via an aerosol. An aerosol is a collection of solid particles (metered-dose inhaler) or liquids (nebulizer) with a diameter small enough to remain suspended in a gas or gas mixture (air). This inhalation route requires the use of appropriate medical devices. The medical devices used for inhalation administration currently on the market are primarily nebulizers. A nebulizer consists of a compressor that pushes air or oxygen into a chamber where the medication—in liquid form—is transformed into a mist that can be inhaled through a mask or mouthpiece or nasal cannula.This mist, or aerosol, has the advantage of delivering the active ingredient rapidly to its target sites (bronchi) with relatively little absorption into the systemic venous circulation. However, the aerosol particles delivered by a nebulizer are on average between 3 and 5 µm in diameter. The active ingredient carried by the aerosol particles reaches the binding site, the bronchial site of action. However, a large portion of the active ingredient (approximately 80-85%) remains in the oral cavity and esophagus, thus reducing the amount reaching the bronchial target sites. This route of administration targets the upper respiratory tract (extending from the nasal cavity to the large-diameter bronchi). The systemic—and even local—effect of a drug delivered by a nebulizer is therefore reduced by the absorption of the active ingredient by the tissues of the bronchial wall.It is estimated that less than 20% of the finest particles (<2 µm in diameter) reach the deep lung. Therefore, this method of administration is unsuitable for systemic drug action.

[0011] Furthermore, the nebulizer has the disadvantage of being noisy and bulky, making it unsuitable for outpatient use. It is also expensive and cumbersome to operate and secure, requiring regular monitoring of its proper functioning and preparation of the medication by trained personnel.

[0012] For example, we know of the medical devices described in applications WO 2017 / 083541 A1, WO 2016 / 028544 A1 and WO 2019 / 136437 A which allow the administration of aerosolized drugs by respiratory route.

[0013] Other medical devices currently used for inhalation administration include metered-dose inhalers (or sprays) and dry powder inhalers, particularly for asthmatic patients. While these are suitable for outpatient use, these aerosols—like nebulizers—have the drawback of generating relatively large droplets, most of which remain within the medical device itself or in the mouth and esophagus.

[0014] There is a need for an inhaled administration device allowing self-administration of drugs for local bronchoalveolar action or, conversely, with significant systemic bioavailability and usable in various indications. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] To address the problems mentioned above with medical devices for the administration of inhaled medication, the applicant proposes a secure medical device comprising a hermetically sealed reservoir equipped with an aerosolization device and a control unit controlling the dose of medication contained in the reservoir and which can be inhaled by the patient.

[0016] In the following description, the term "medicine" will be used to refer to a medication in liquid form, contained within the reservoir of the medical device. This liquid medication, also called a medicated solution, contains an active ingredient and excipients in solution.

[0017] Depending on the specific characteristics of the active ingredient and its dosage form (i.e., the pharmaceutical form in which the active ingredient is presented), the inhalation route of administration offers two advantages: a) inhalation allows the active ingredient to reach the bronchioles and alveoli of the lungs and pass immediately and directly into the arterial circulation (pulmonary vein system); b) it allows for a local pulmonary effect if the active ingredient and its dosage form only minimally cross the membranes of the small bronchi or alveoli. The first approach provides immediate and systemic action, while the second provides a local pulmonary effect targeting infections or neoplasms with exclusive or predominant pulmonary localization. Indeed, the ability to deliver medications to the bronchiolar / alveolar level at therapeutic doses will allow for a greater local or systemic effect than currently available.

[0018] The technique of dispersing a liquid or solution in the form of fine particles in the air or in an enclosed space is called "aerosolization".

[0019] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a medical device for the safe administration of medication via the respiratory route, comprising: a hermetically sealed reservoir containing the drug in a fluid form, a housing on which the reservoir is mounted, a mouthpiece in fluidic connection with the reservoir and through which the drug can be introduced into the oral cavity of a patient, a control unit processing data and parameters relating to the administration of the drug and controlling the dosage and collecting safety information on the use of said drug inhaled by the patient, characterized in that it further comprises a device for aerosolizing the drug by raising its temperature, generating a micro-particulate aerosol of said drug, inhalable by the patient, the micro-particulate aerosol comprising particles with a diameter of less than 2 µm dispersed in the air, and in that said aerosolization device comprises a heating element at least partially housed inside the reservoir and retractable out of the reservoir.

[0020] This device ensures safe medication administration, both in terms of controlling administration and dosage, and in terms of handling, because the patient only has access to the hermetically sealed reservoir: they do not have access to the medication inside the reservoir, which is kept in a sterile environment. Dosage adjustments are controlled and programmed by the device itself to limit or facilitate the delivery of the necessary doses. Furthermore, because this device is portable and ergonomic (i.e., small enough to allow for easy manual use), it allows for self-administration by the patient in an outpatient setting.

[0021] According to the invention, the aerosolization device includes a retractable heating element at least partially housed inside the reservoir, the drug being aerosolized by raising the temperature of the heating element.

[0022] Heating the drug solution reduces particle diameter, allowing the aerosolized medication to reach the bronchioles and alveoli of the lungs in sufficient quantities for optimal bioavailability and efficacy, unlike currently available medical devices. Thus, reducing particle size through aerosolization by raising the temperature enables significant diffusion in the lower respiratory tract, down to the alveolar level. Consequently, systemic drugs can reach the left ventricle of the heart via direct passage into the pulmonary arterial circulation and be distributed by the arterial circulation, resulting in ultra-rapid systemic diffusion (< 1-2 minutes) without loss of the active ingredient.Indeed, the respiratory route of administration makes it possible to avoid early degradation of the active ingredient by avoiding gastro-enteric, hepatic (i.e. first-pass hepatic effect) and even peripheral tissue metabolism.

[0023] The drug, according to its legal definition, used in the medical device of the invention, can produce a systemic effect or a local pulmonary effect.

[0024] In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the medical device according to one aspect of the invention may have one or more additional characteristics from among the following, considered individually or in all technically possible combinations: The heating element comprises a heating resistor having an upper part housed in the reservoir and a lower part housed in the casing, said lower part being driven by at least one motor. The heating element is at least partially hollow so as to allow airflow through it. The aerosolization device comprises an ultrasonic generator, the medicinal product being aerosolized by sonication. The data and parameters relating to the administration of the medicinal product include safety information for its use. The reservoir has an upper cap and a lower cap, capable of hermetically sealing the reservoir, the opening and closing of the lower cap being controlled by a rotation of the aerosolization device, the opening and closing of the upper cap being controlled by a rotation of the lower cap.The lower cap has a lower surface with a notch for receiving one end of the aerosol device, an upper surface with a step for operating the upper cap, and a side wall with at least one locking tab. The housing has a slide to guide the insertion of the reservoir onto the housing and / or its removal. It includes a label reader, connected to the control unit, for reading an identification label affixed to the reservoir. The identification label includes a QR code, and the label reader is a QR code reader. It includes a device for detecting the level or quantity of medication in the reservoir, connected to the control unit. It includes a rechargeable battery housed within the housing that provides power to at least the control unit.It includes a display screen for data relating to drug administration and / or parameter settings, connected to the control unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, illustrated by the figures in which: There figure 1 schematically represents the respiratory tract of a human being; The figure 2 represents a schematic perspective view of the medical device according to the invention; The figure 3 represents schematic cross-sectional, side, and profile views of the medical device according to the invention; The figure 4 represents front, side, top and bottom views of the medical device according to the invention; The figure 5 represents various front and perspective views of the heating element according to certain embodiments of the invention; The figure 6represents various front, top, bottom and perspective views of the tank according to certain embodiments of the invention; The figure 7 represents various views of the lower cap of the tank according to certain embodiments of the invention; and The figure 8 depicts various front and perspective views of the medical device reservoir during the insertion of the heating element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] An example of an embodiment of a medical drug delivery device, in which access to the drug and the inhalable dose by the patient are secured, is described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. This example illustrates the features and advantages of the invention. It should be noted, however, that the invention is not limited to this example.

[0027] In the figures, identical elements are identified by identical references. For the sake of readability, the size scales between represented elements are not respected.

[0028] An example of the safe medical device according to the invention is shown on the figure 2This medical device 10 comprises a housing 13 on which a removable reservoir 11 is mounted. The reservoir 11 is a hermetically sealed container holding the medication solution to be administered to the patient. This reservoir 11 is filled with medication by a professional (in the medical or pharmaceutical field) and sealed by that professional so that the patient cannot access the medication. Although the patient does not have access to the contents of the reservoir 11, they do have access to the reservoir itself and can mount the reservoir onto the housing 13 and / or remove it. Mounting the reservoir 11 is achieved by sliding a sliding head (located under the reservoir and not visible in the figures) into a guide 132 formed on an intermediate surface 133 of the housing 13.A locking element 131, such as a safety pin or a spring-loaded plunger, for example positioned near the slide 132, secures the reservoir 11 when it is in its operating position. In the operating position, the reservoir is positioned between the intermediate surface 133 and the upper surface 134 of the housing 13. Removing the reservoir is done in reverse by releasing the locking element 131 and sliding the reservoir 11 to the entrance of the slide 132, at the end of the intermediate surface 133.

[0029] The medical device 10 further comprises a mouthpiece 12 fixed to an upper surface 134 of the housing 13. This mouthpiece 12 has a conventional shape, for example, similar to that of electronic cigarette mouthpieces or mouthpieces of oral inhalers. In a variant, not shown in the figures, the mouthpiece 12 can be mounted directly onto the reservoir 11, in which case the upper surface 134 of the housing 13 does not completely cover the reservoir. Regardless of the variant (fixed to the housing or fixed to the reservoir), the mouthpiece 12 is in fluidic contact with the reservoir 11 when the latter is in its operating position, i.e., it ensures the flow of the micro-aerosolized medication from the reservoir to the patient's oral cavity.

[0030] The medical device 10 also includes a drug aerosolization device, housed at least partially within the reservoir 11. This aerosolization device is designed to transform the drug in a fluid solution into an aerosolized drug that can be inhaled by the patient. The aerosolization device is adapted to generate a microparticulate aerosol, that is, an aerosol in the form of microparticles. "Microparticles" or "microdroplets" are particles or droplets that are very small compared to the particles or droplets produced in a conventional aerosol. In the medical field, a microparticle is a particle with a diameter of less than 2 µm.

[0031] In one embodiment, the aerosolization device includes an ultrasonic generator for aerosolizing the drug by sonication. Sonication is suitable, for example, for active ingredients that are likely to undergo structural changes above a defined ambient temperature, such as below 30 or 40°C. Sonication of the drug transforms it into aerosolized microparticles without increasing the temperature. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic generator is housed inside the reservoir 11 and controlled by the control unit described later.

[0032] In another embodiment, described in detail below, the aerosolization device includes a heating element, for example a heating resistor 15, which heats the medication so as to transform it into aerosolized microparticles. Indeed, an aerosolized solution, whether by raising its temperature or by sonication, is composed of microparticles or microdroplets, that is, droplets of very small dimensions compared to the droplets or particles of conventional aerosols. And, the smaller the droplets, the more easily and deeply they travel through the lower respiratory tract of a patient.

[0033] Aerosolization by sonication can be an alternative to aerosolization by heating, for example, if heating is contraindicated or unsuitable for a medication. Regardless of its specific embodiment, the aerosolization device according to the invention allows it to reach the deepest tissue organs of the respiratory tract, such as the pulmonary alveoli.

[0034] To better understand the effects, from a respiratory point of view, of the aerosolization device equipping the medical device of the invention, an example of a human respiratory tract is shown on the figure 1The respiratory tract extends from the nasal cavities 1 and oral cavity 2 to the pulmonary alveoli 7, passing through the pharynx 3, trachea 4, bronchi 5, and bronchioles 6. Air inhaled by a human being thus enters the respiratory system through the nasal cavities 1 and / or oral cavity 2, then passes through the pharynx 3, trachea 4, bronchi 5, and bronchioles 6, finally reaching the alveoli 7 of the lungs 8, where gas exchange occurs across the alveolar and endothelial membranes. Current known inhaled medical devices, at best, allow the active ingredient to reach the bronchial surfaces (5). The medical device according to the invention allows for deeper respiratory administration: it enables the drug to reach both the bronchiolar and alveolar surfaces.

[0035] In certain therapeutic situations, such as pain management or acute episodes of chronic diseases (non-exhaustive list), achieving a rapid therapeutic effect, for example in less than 10 minutes, or even less than 1 minute, is essential. The device according to the invention not only provides direct access of the drug to the arterial circulation, but also, because the alveolar absorption surface is particularly large (on the order of 50 m² according to physiological estimates), this ensures the absorption of a large quantity of drug into the arterial circulation, guaranteeing a bioavailability close to 100% or even greater than 100% (the reference being the plasma concentration of the drug in venous blood).The device according to the invention thus ensures relatively high bioavailability and absorption rate, and rapid access of the active ingredient to target tissues, such as the central nervous system. The therapeutic effect can be achieved within seconds or tens of seconds. In terms of tolerability, certain adverse effects (particularly those known as 'dose-dependent') are likely to be reduced for medications whose reduced administered dose is made possible by improved bioavailability compared to existing routes of administration. Indeed, by improving the alveolar diffusion of the drug, and due to the large alveolar surface area, the inhaled dose required to achieve the therapeutic effect is reduced compared to current pharmaceutical formulations.

[0036] As mentioned previously, the preferred embodiment of drug aerosolization is the integration of a heating element 15 into the reservoir 11 of the medical device of the invention. Examples of a heating element 15, mounted in the housing 13 of the medical device of the invention, are shown in the figures. figures 3 and 4This heating element 15, more simply called a resistor, comprises an upper part 151 and a lower part 152. The upper part 151 is housed in the reservoir 11, and the lower part 152, driven by at least one motor, provides mechanical movements (insertion / retraction and rotation), as explained later. The upper part 151 of the resistor has a heating element housed in a sheath forming a protective sleeve for said heating element. The heating element can be formed, for example, of a layer of cotton or silica surrounding a resistance wire. This upper part 151 ensures, by contact, the heating of the drug solution contained in the reservoir 11. It can maintain a temperature of up to 200°C. The lower part 152 of the resistor 15 has a support to which the upper part 151 is fixed.This lower part 152 is designed to be movable longitudinally along a longitudinal axis AA and by rotation inside the housing 13.

[0037] An example of resistance 15 is shown in more detail on the figure 5 . This figure 5The upper part 151 is shown mounted on the lower part 152. The lower part 152 has a tubular shape with an external surface provided by a toothed groove 155. This toothed groove 155, for example a rack or a screw thread, is adapted to mesh with one or more pinions 153, 154. One or more motors 16 are housed in the casing 13 to drive the pinion(s) 153, 154 in rotation, which, in turn, drive the lower part 152 of the resistor in translation. For example, at least one motor can rotate the resistor 15 around the axis AA (clockwise and counterclockwise), and at least one motor can translate the resistor 15 along the axis AA to allow the insertion and removal of the upper part 151 into the reservoir 11.

[0038] Since the upper part 151 of the heating element 15 is fixed to the lower part 152, the upper part 151 is driven in translation by the lower part 152. The assembly formed by the motors, gears, and the lower part 152 thus allows the upper part 151 to be translated from the housing 13 to the reservoir 11, or conversely, from the reservoir 11 to the housing 13. The heating element 15 is therefore retractable. This retractability of the heating element 15 allows its safe incorporation into the reservoir 11, as the heating element 15 comes into contact with the medication without any human intervention. Any non-professional user, and in particular the patient, is therefore able to easily change the reservoir 11 without ever coming into contact with the medication itself.

[0039] In some embodiments, the upper part 151 of the heating element is fixedly mounted on the lower part 152. In other embodiments, the upper part 151 of the heating element is removablely mounted on the lower part 152, allowing the heating element 151 to be removed, for example, for cleaning or replacement when it is defective or worn. In these embodiments where the upper part is removable, the sleeve of the upper part 151 may be provided with an internal thread 157b, which meshes with an external thread 157a positioned at the end of the lower part 152. Other means of removablely securing the upper part 151 to the lower part 152 can, of course, be considered, such as a pin, a circlip, a clip, etc.

[0040] There figure 6represents an example of a reservoir 11 intended to receive the medication. This reservoir 11 includes a hermetically sealed container 110, designed for the medication to be heated or sonicated within it. The container 110 is therefore adapted to receive, preferably centrally, the upper part 151 of the heating element 15. For this purpose, a longitudinal space is provided within the container 110 to receive the upper part 151 of the heating element 15. In the example of the figure 6 A guide system 113 is installed in the center of the container 110 to guide the upper part 151 of the heating element during its insertion into and / or removal from the tank. This guide system 113 may be, for example, a channel inside which the upper part 151 slides when it is inserted into the container 110, or removed from said container; this guide system 113 may alternatively be a guide rail along which the upper part 151 moves.

[0041] The reservoir 11 has a perforated lid 114 on which the mouthpiece 12 is mounted. It also has a lower cap 112 and an upper cap 111 that ensure the reservoir 11 is hermetically sealed when in the handling position. The handling position is, by definition, the opposite of the operating position: in the handling position, the reservoir (full or empty) is removed from the housing 13 and can be handled; in the operating position, the reservoir is fixed to the housing 13 and can accommodate the upper part of the heating element 15. Thus, when the reservoir 11 is in the handling position, the upper cap 111 and lower cap 112 are closed so that the reservoir is hermetically sealed. Conversely, when the reservoir 11 is in the operating position, the lower cap 112 and the upper cap 111 are open to allow for aerosolization.For safety reasons, the opening of these upper and lower caps is controlled by the resistor 15, itself controlled by a control unit 20.

[0042] The opening and closing of the lower cap 112 are controlled by a rotation of the upper part of the resistance 15, while the opening and closing of the upper cap 111 are controlled by a rotation of the lower cap 112 after they have been brought into contact with each other, after the resistance 15 has been raised within the reservoir 11.

[0043] The upper cap 111 is mounted under the perforated cover 114, opposite the guide system 113. The upper cap 111 has, on an underside face, a notch (not visible in the figures) intended to receive a step 116 (projecting part) of the lower cap 112.

[0044] The lower plug 112, an example of which is shown in the drawings of the figure 7, is mounted opposite the guide system 113 and the upper cap 111. The lower cap 112 has, on a lower face, a notch 117 and, on an upper face, a step 116. The notch 117 of the lower cap 112 is a groove intended to receive a step 158 positioned at the end of the upper part 151 of the resistor 15. The step 116 of the lower cap 112 is an elongated projection extending along the diameter of the cap and intended to fit into a notch (not visible in the figures) of the upper cap 111.

[0045] The lower cap 112 has locking lugs 118 positioned laterally on the periphery of said lower cap and ensuring the locking / unlocking of said cap on the container 110. Similarly, the upper cap 111 has locking lugs (not visible in the figures) positioned laterally on the periphery of said upper cap and ensuring the locking / unlocking of said cap on the container 110.

[0046] As stated above, the opening of the upper cap 111 and lower cap 112 is controlled by the resistor 15 in order to secure the opening and / or closing of the reservoir 11, particularly when it is filled with the medication. An example of inserting the resistor 15 into the reservoir 11 is shown, in several steps, on the figure 8These drawings show the resistor 15 in its various positions, from its "retracted" position (on the left of the figure) to its "heating" position (on the right of the figure). These drawings of the figure 8 in particular, they show resistance 15: in retracted position (drawing A): the resistor 15 is totally housed in the casing 13; in lower cap unlocking position 112 (drawing B): the resistor 15 is rotated by an angle α (less than 180°) so that its step 158 housed in the notch 117 of the lower cap 112 unlocks the locking lugs 116 of said lower cap; in elevation position (drawing C): the resistor 15 is translated along the axis AA towards the reservoir 11 so that its upper part 151 is totally inserted into the reservoir 11 and the step 116 of the lower cap 112 is housed in the notch of the upper cap 111; in the unlocking position of the upper cap 111 (drawing D): the resistance 15 is rotated by an angle β, in the opposite direction to the angle α, so as to cause the rotation of the step 116 of the lower cap 112 housed in the notch of the upper cap, which unlocks the locking lugs of said upper cap.

[0047] Once the top cap 111 is unlocked, the container 110 is no longer hermetically sealed. The heating element 15 can be activated to heat the medication, transforming it into a microparticle aerosol. With the top cap 111 unlocked, the perforations in the lid 114 are free, i.e., open; the aerosol can therefore be delivered to the patient through these perforations and the mouthpiece 12. The patient can then use the medical device as needed.

[0048] To ensure the airflow necessary for the formation of the microparticle aerosol, the heating element 15 is at least partially hollow. The airflow can thus circulate from a modular / adjustable air inlet 136 to the mouthpiece 12, passing through the housing 13 via the hollow lower portion 152 of said heating element and the reservoir 11 via the hollow upper portion 151 of the heating element 15.

[0049] The medical device 10 may include different components, shown on the figures 2 , 3 and 4 These features are designed to improve the device and / or facilitate its use. They may include, in particular, an electric battery 14, rechargeable or non-rechargeable, preferably housed in the casing 13, which supplies electrical power to at least the control unit and the motors. The medical device may also include a connection socket 24 for receiving a power charger (especially when the battery is rechargeable) and / or a data storage device (for example, for downloading data).

[0050] The medical device 10 may also include a power button 21, a data display screen 22, and one or more navigation buttons 23 to allow access to the display (on the screen 22) of various data. The display screen 22 may show data relating, for example, to the date and time the medication was taken, the name of the medication, its expiry date, the heating temperature of the heating element, the number of possible uses or doses of the medication, the number of uses or doses remaining, the volume of medication remaining in the reservoir, the lifespan of the heating element, therapeutic or technical indications, etc. The power button 21, or ON / OFF button, allows the patient to control the aerosolization of the medication while mitigating the risk of spontaneous ignition of the heating element.This ignition button 21 can allow either ignition and extinction control of the aerosolization, or only ignition control, with extinction being carried out automatically by the control unit 20. To avoid spontaneous ignition, the aerosolization can be initiated by a series of consecutive presses within a defined interval (for example, three repetitions in less than 3 seconds).

[0051] The control unit 20, housed in the casing 13, comprises a microprocessor, a memory card, and / or an electronic board. The control unit 20 is designed to store various data, such as drug and / or patient data. It is also designed to manage the patient's absorbable aerosol dose, which could be, for example, a maximum daily amount, a number of doses, a maximum unit dose, etc.

[0052] The control unit is also designed to control the heating temperature of the heating element 15. In fact, the control unit can regulate the heating element temperature according to data previously defined by medical or pharmaceutical personnel. The heating temperature can, for example, be set according to the characteristics of the medication and / or the patient's condition. This heating temperature can be indicated on the label 115 affixed to the reservoir 11 and described later.

[0053] The control unit 20 can also be designed to control the airflow exiting the reservoir, as well as the volume of medication and / or the number of doses remaining in the reservoir. To achieve this, the control unit can incorporate an algorithm that calculates the remaining volume or number of doses based on the initial volume of medication and the number of doses already administered. Alternatively, the control unit 20 can be connected to a device for detecting the level of medication remaining in the reservoir. This detection device, or level sensor, is connected to the control unit 20. This level sensor can be, for example, a photoelectric sensor, a laser sensor, a photo-optical sensor, a capacitive sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc.

[0054] In general, the control unit 20 integrates and stores numerous parameters relating to the drug itself, the patient's pathology, the drug administration technique and / or the safety of use of the medical device 10. The control unit also controls the implementation of these parameters as well as the installation or retraction of the resistance, the heating of said resistance and the opening / closing of the upper cap 111 and lower cap 112.

[0055] The medical device 10 may also include a vent 135, made in at least one of the walls of the housing 13, to provide ventilation inside said housing in order to prevent overheating of the control unit and / or other components of said medical device.

[0056] In some embodiments, the medical device 10 includes a label reader 25, for example, housed in the upper part 13a of the casing 13, and connected to the control unit 20. This label reader 25 is designed to read labels affixed to the reservoirs 11. Indeed, each reservoir 11 can be fitted with an identification label allowing access to numerous general and / or patient-specific data relating to the medication contained in the reservoir. The data accessible via the label may include, for example, precautions for using the medication, its expiration date, the recommended heating temperature, the duration of an inhalation, the maximum / minimum interval between two inhalations, the dose of medication contained in one inhalation, etc. The label may be, for example, a barcode or a QR code.The label reader is then, respectively, a barcode reader or a QR code reader. In the example shown in the image... figures 2 And 4 The label reader 25 is housed in the upper part 13a of the housing 13 and the label 115 is affixed to the face of the reservoir 11 so that the label 115 is opposite the label reader 25. This label and label reader assembly not only allows easy downloading of data but also ensures the security of this data, particularly when this data contains information relating to the drug and the optimal parameters of use (example: expiry date, name of the drug, maximum authorized temperatures, maximum doses per intake / daily, direct reporting of adverse effects to the relevant pharmacovigilance center, optional reference to the summary of product characteristics (SmPC)).

[0057] Although described through a number of examples, variants and embodiments, the medical device according to the invention includes various variants, modifications and improvements which will be obvious to a person skilled in the art, it being understood that these variants, modifications and improvements form part of the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A medical device (10) for the safe administration of a drug via the respiratory tract, comprising: - a sealed tank (11) containing the drug in fluid form, - a casing (13) to which the tank (11) is mounted, - a mouthpiece (12) in fluid connection with the tank (11) and through which the drug can be introduced into a patient's buccal cavity, and - a control unit (20) processing data and parameters relating to the administration of the drug and controlling dosage of said drug inhaled by the patient, - characterised in that it further comprises an aerosolising device (15) for aerosolising the drug by raising its temperature, generating a micro-particulate aerosol of said drug inhalable by the patient, the micro-particulate aerosol including particles with a diameter of less than 2 µm dispersed in air, - and in that said aerosolising device (15) comprises a heating element at least partially housed inside the tank (11) and retractable from of the tank.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that the heating element comprises a heating resistor (15) including an upper part (151) housed in the tank (11) and a lower part (152) housed in the casing (13), said lower part being movably driven by at least one motor (16).

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the heating element (15) is at least partially hollow so as to allow an air flux to pass therewithin.

4. The device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the data and parameters relating to the administration of the drug comprise safety information for use of the drug.

5. The device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the tank (11) includes an upper cap (111) and a lower cap (112), able to hermetically close the tank (11), opening and closing the lower cap (112) being controlled by rotating the aerosolising device (15), opening and closing the upper cap (111) being controlled by rotating the lower cap (112).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterised in that the lower cap (112) includes: - a lower surface including a notch (117) designed to receive one end of the aerosolising device (158), - an upper surface including a step (116) designed to control the upper cap (111), and - a side wall including at least one locking lug (118).

7. The device according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the casing (13) includes a slide (132) to guide insertion and / or removal of the reservoir (11) onto or from said casing.

8. The device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that it comprises a label reader (25), connected to the control unit (20), for reading an identification label (115) affixed to the tank.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterised in that the identification label (115) includes a QR code and the label reader (25) is a QR code reader.

10. The device according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that it comprises a device for detecting level or amount of the drug in the tank, connected to the control unit.

11. The device according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that it comprises a rechargeable electric battery (14) housed in the casing (13) and supplying at least the control unit with electric energy.

12. The device according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that it includes a display screen (22) for data relating to the administration of the drug and / or parametering data, connected to the control unit (20).