Medicated Module Collapsible Reservoir Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices struggle to deliver two or more drug agents simultaneously in a single injection or delivery step, particularly in combination therapies where stability and therapeutic performance are compromised, and users face challenges with pre-mixed formulations that require variable dosing ratios, which can be complex for patients with dexterity or computational difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A medicated module attachable to a drug delivery device featuring a collapsible reservoir for a secondary medicament, a needle arrangement, and a shroud that compresses the reservoir for dispensing the medicament through a single needle interface, allowing for a fixed or variable dose of one medicament to be delivered alongside a user-selectable dose of another, reducing the need for multiple delivery systems and simplifying the dosing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pre-mixed formulations of multiple active agents are used, then combination therapy can be delivered, but the fixed ratio of active components cannot be varied by healthcare professional or user
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the drug delivery system into separate modules: a main drug delivery device containing a first medicament and a separate medicated module containing a second medicament. This segmentation allows independent control and adjustment of each medicament's dose, enabling flexible combination therapy without requiring complex pre-mixed formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The medicated module is designed to attach to and nest within the main drug delivery device. The collapsible reservoir containing the second medicament is nested within the housing of the medicated module, which itself attaches to the main device. This nested structure enables compact integration of multiple medicaments while maintaining separate, adjustable dosing capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple drug delivery systems are used to deliver different medicaments, then combination therapy can be achieved, but users with dexterity or computational difficulties find it difficult to cope
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple drug delivery functions into a single integrated system. The main drug delivery device and the medicated module work together through a unified interface, allowing users to deliver combination therapy through one operation rather than managing multiple separate devices. The single dispense interface simplifies the user experience while maintaining combination therapy capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The main drug delivery device is designed with universal functionality to accommodate both the first medicament from the main device and the second medicament from the attached medicated module. This multi-functional design allows a single device to perform multiple drug delivery functions, reducing the operational burden on users.
3Stability of the object's composition
If active components are stored separately, then stability and therapeutic performance are improved, but a complex combining process is required at the point of delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the second medicament into a separate collapsible reservoir within the medicated module, removing it from the main drug delivery device's primary reservoir. This extraction allows the medicaments to be stored separately, maintaining their stability and preventing degradation, while the delivery process remains simplified through the automated combining mechanism upon actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The medicated module is pre-assembled with the collapsible reservoir containing the second medicament, and the combining mechanism is pre-configured. When the user actuates the main device, the system automatically combines the medicaments through the needle arrangement without requiring manual intervention or complex user actions. This preliminary preparation simplifies the actual delivery process.
4Ease of operation
If a single dispense interface is used for both medicaments, then ease of operation is improved, but precise control of variable dosing ratios becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic dosing control where the dose of the first medicament can be variable and user-adjustable through the main device's dose setting mechanism, while the second medicament is delivered at a predetermined dose from the collapsible reservoir. This dynamic capability allows precise control of dosing ratios through software control and mechanical positioning, maintaining simplicity at the user interface level.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through the single dispense interface that track and control the delivery of both medicaments. The controller monitors the actuation process and ensures accurate dosing of both the first medicament from the main device and the second medicament from the medicated module, maintaining precise dosing ratios while keeping the interface simple for the user.
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
Enables the safe and straightforward delivery of combination drug therapies with a single injection, reducing user anxiety and minimizing medicament wastage, while allowing for flexible dosing adjustments and minimizing the risk of medicament interaction during storage.
Implementation Method 1
the shroud acts on the collapsible reservoir... the shroud is configured to compress the collapsible reservoir to dispense the second medicament
Data Source
AI summary
A medicated module attachable to a drug delivery device. The medicated module comprises a housing configured for attachment to a drug delivery device. The drug delivery device comprises a first medicament. A collapsible reservoir is contained within the housing. A pre-determined volume of a second medicament is contained within the reservoir. A needle arrangement is configured within the housing and the needle arrangement is arranged in fluid communication with the collapsible reservoir. A needle shroud may be configured, such that, during an injection step, the shroud acts on the reservoir to inject the second medicament.