Electrical condensation aerosol device

Inventors

HASEGAWA, David Koji • Lei, Mingzu • Tong, Gilbert T.

Assignees

Alexza Pharmaceuticals Inc

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing condensation aerosols for the treatment of disease and/or chronic, intermittent or acute conditions. These condensation aerosols are produced from drugs including temperature sensitive drugs and small molecule drugs that are coated onto a foil substrate which is heated via electrical resistance heating at precisely controlled temperature profiles with controllable ramp-up and heating rates to vaporize the coated drug which subsequently condenses to form aerosol particles. These condensation aerosols have little or no degradation products. Kits comprising a drug and a device for producing a condensation aerosol are also provided. Also disclosed, are methods for using these aerosols and kits and methods of making the aerosols.

Core Innovation

The disclosed invention provides a drug device for producing condensation aerosol by thermal vaporization of a drug. The drug device includes a disposable cartridge having a drug composition coated on a foil substrate, and a handheld medical device that interfaces with the cartridge through connectors and electrical current delivery devices. The handheld medical device has one or more air inlets and one or more air outlets defining an airway for delivering air through the cartridge and supporting condensation inside the cartridge.

The handheld medical device uses one or more batteries to provide electric current, and one or more electrical current delivery devices to drive a precise electrical current profile to the foil substrate. The electrical current profile is configured to achieve electrical resistive heating at a rate that produces a precise temperature profile with a controllable ramp-up to a target temperature and a controllable heating rate. The temperature profile is suitable to vaporize a therapeutically effective amount of the drug composition coated on the foil substrate within 3 seconds or less, followed by condensation inside the cartridge to form drug aerosol particles.

The system further specifies electrical connection between the connectors and the foil substrate through a printed circuit board or a flex circuit, enabling controlled heating of the foil. The disclosed description also includes cartridge attachment and operational features, including pneumatic sealing interfaces and temperature control sensing and verification components. Additionally, the disclosure includes optional cartridge recognition and communication features such as RFID, bar code, and QR code, as well as mechanisms for breath detection and mapping/thermal imaging used to determine coating regions and heating behavior.

Claims Coverage

The document provides one independent claim (clm-00001) directed to a drug device architecture and heating control for producing condensation aerosol from a drug-coated foil in a disposable cartridge. The inventive features focus on disposable cartridge structure, handheld airway interface, and controlled resistive heating using a precise current/temperature profile suitable for vaporizing a therapeutically effective amount within 3 seconds or less and condensing inside the cartridge to form aerosol particles. The dependent claims refine these features with additional constraints and hardware/sensing/recognition details as reflected in the provided family summary and notable members.

Across the provided independent claim, the main claim coverage is for a disposable cartridge carrying a drug-coated foil substrate and a handheld medical device that supplies electric current to drive a precise resistive heating current/temperature profile. The profile is configured for vaporization of a therapeutically effective amount within 3 seconds or less, with condensation inside the cartridge to form drug aerosol particles, supported by defined airway airflow paths and electrical interconnection via a printed circuit board or flex circuit.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications