Programmable Electro-Mechanical Drug Delivery Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery systems struggle to efficiently administer combination therapies involving multiple medicaments, as they often require complex calculations, multiple devices, and fixed ratios of active components, which can be impractical for users, especially those with dexterity or computational difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A programmable electro-mechanical drug delivery device that allows for the storage of multiple medicaments in separate reservoirs, enabling simultaneous or sequential administration through a single dispense interface. The device uses a microprocessor to calculate doses based on pre-programmed therapeutic dose profiles, simplifying the dosing process and allowing for variable ratios of medicaments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate devices are used to administer different medicaments, then each device can be optimized for its specific medicament, but the overall system complexity and number of devices required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple medicament reservoirs, delivery mechanisms, and control systems into a single integrated injection device. The device includes a first reservoir for a first medicament and a second reservoir for a second medicament, both delivered through a single injection mechanism, eliminating the need for multiple separate devices while maintaining delivery accuracy for each medicament.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection device is designed with multi-functionality to administer different types of medicaments (e.g., insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1) through a single device. The universal design allows the same device to handle various medicament combinations and delivery protocols, replacing multiple specialized devices with one versatile system.
2Ease of manufacture
If fixed ratios of active components are used in combination therapies, then manufacturing and formulation is simplified, but the ability to accommodate variable dosing needs is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates dynamic dosing capabilities where the ratio of medicaments delivered can be varied based on patient needs. The control system allows adjustment of dosing parameters to change the ratio of first medicament to second medicament, enabling flexible adaptation to different therapeutic requirements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through programmable delivery mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If complex calculations are required to determine correct dosages of multiple medicaments, then precise dosing can be achieved, but user operation becomes difficult especially for those with dexterity or computational difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs self-service by automatically calculating the correct dosages of multiple medicaments based on pre-programmed algorithms and patient-specific parameters. The microprocessor-controlled system handles all computational requirements internally, eliminating the need for users to perform complex calculations manually. Users simply input basic information and the device autonomously determines precise dosages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual calculation and mechanical dosing adjustment with electronic computation and automated delivery mechanisms. The microprocessor-based control system substitutes for human computational effort, using stored algorithms to automatically determine correct dosages based on patient data, thereby maintaining precision while dramatically simplifying user interaction.
4Reliability
If multiple separate injection procedures are used to deliver different medicaments, then each medicament can be administered with its own optimized protocol, but the total treatment time and number of procedures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges multiple injection procedures into a single simultaneous administration event. Both the first medicament and second medicament are delivered through a single injection action, eliminating the need for separate injection procedures while maintaining the ability to administer each medicament according to its optimized protocol through coordinated delivery timing and dosing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computerized electro-mechanical drug delivery device (10) configured to deliver at least one dose of two or more medicaments. The device comprises a control unit (300). An electro-mechanical drive unit (500, 600) is operably coupled to the control unit and a primary reservoir (90) for a first medicament and a secondary reservoir (100) for a fluid agent, e.g. a second medicament. An operator interface (60) is in communication with the control unit (300). A single dispense assembly (200) is configured for fluid communication with the primary (90) and the secondary (100) reservoir. Activation of the operator panel sets a first dose from the primary reservoir and based on the first dose and a therapeutic dose profile (860), the control unit (300) is configured to determine a dose or range of the fluid agent. Alternatively, the control unit determines or calculates a dose or range of a third medicament.