Drug Delivery Device with Biasing Element for Dual Medicament Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drug delivery systems face challenges in simultaneously administering multiple medicaments with varying ratios and doses, particularly for combination therapies, due to interaction issues during storage, high dispense force requirements, and user complexity, especially for patients with dexterity or computational difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A drug delivery system with separate reservoirs for each medicament, allowing for a single dose setting to automatically determine and dispense a non-user settable dose of one medicament, assisted by a biasing element to reduce dispense force, while enabling user control and varying doses through a single dispense interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If separate reservoirs are used for multiple medicaments to avoid interaction during storage, then stability and therapeutic performance are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the medicament storage into separate reservoirs (first reservoir for first medicament, second reservoir for second medicament), allowing each medicament to be stored independently to maintain stability while delivering them through a coordinated mechanism that manages the added complexity
2Ease of operation
If a single dose setter controls both medicaments to simplify user operation, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision and dosing control may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The single dose setter is designed to control both the first and second medicaments through a unified interface, allowing one user input to coordinate the dispensing of multiple medicaments with different dosing requirements, thereby maintaining ease of operation while achieving precise dosing through integrated control
3Ease of operation
If a biasing element is added to assist dispensing of the second medicament, then dispense force is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A biasing element (spring) is introduced to provide assisting force during the dispensing of the second medicament, counteracting the resistance forces and reducing the net dispense force required from the user or drive mechanism, thereby improving ease of operation while adding a component that manages the complexity
4Device complexity
If pre-mixed formulations are used for combination therapy, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability and therapeutic profile control are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic dose setting where the second dose is automatically determined based on the first dose amount, allowing the therapeutic profile to be adapted to different dosing scenarios. This dynamic relationship between the two medicaments provides flexibility and adaptability while maintaining relatively simple device architecture
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system simplifies the delivery of multiple medicaments with customizable therapeutic profiles, reducing dispense force and user complexity, ensuring accurate dosing without requiring multiple inputs, and improving patient compliance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The drug delivery device may include a biasing member, such as a spring, that is configured to assist with the delivery of the second drug agent
Data Source
AI summary
A drug delivery device having a fixed dose setting mechanism with a biasing element. The drug delivery device includes a first dose setting mechanism, where the first dose setting mechanism is operably coupled to a primary reservoir holding a first medicament. The device also includes a dose setter operably coupled to the first dose setting mechanism. The device further includes second dose setting mechanism, where the second dose setting mechanism is operably coupled to a secondary reservoir holding a second medicament. The second dose setting mechanism is mechanically linked to the first dose setting mechanism, and the second dose setting mechanism includes a biasing element. The dose setter is configured to set a variable dose of the first medicament and automatically set a fixed dose of the second medicament upon activation. In addition, the biasing element is configured to assist with dispense of the second medicament.