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Publication Number
US-7862543-B2
Publication Date
2011-01-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
A drug delivery system is disclosed which may be a throwaway or reusable device for delivery at least one drug to a patient. Also described is a method for administering a drug using said device and a packaged drug for use with said device. The drug delivery device (10) comprises a housing (12), a means (14) for generating a force capable of pushing a drug (16) from a packaging (18) into a human or animal body, a means (20) for transmitting said force to push the drug (16) from the packaging (18) into the human and animal body, and a means (38, 42b) for triggering the device. Where the device is a single use drug delivery system, a packaged drug (100) forms an integral part of the device. The packaged drug comprises a region (102) allowing it to be slidably mounted to the drug delivery device (10).
Core Innovation
The patent describes a needleless drug delivery device including a housing with an upper barrel and a lower barrel. A force generating means housed in the upper barrel provides force capable of pushing a drug from a packaging into a human or animal body, and a force transmitting means in operative communication with the upper barrel transmits the force to push the drug from the packaging into the body. The lower barrel includes a sliding piston and a means for slidably receiving a packaged drug, configured so that the packaged drug attached thereto can slide within the device and act against the piston to prime it.
The device includes a means for triggering, configured so that the force generating means and the force transmitting means push the drug from the packaging into the human or animal body at a velocity of less than 20 m/s. The packaged drug is slidably disposed in the lower barrel and comprises a packaging containing a drug, including a two-piece housing having a channel running therethrough with a drive pin or other element, a skin piercing means, and the drug. The two-piece housing also includes a region allowing slidably mounting to receiving means on the drug delivery device, and an end adapted to engage and tension the skin.
The packaging further comprises a resilient means below or otherwise in association with the drive pin or other element to ensure the drive pin is withdrawn after use, and the overall arrangement supports priming and delivery by sliding of components in the device. Other embodiments describe triggering arrangements using a striker and defined shaped surface engagement with a frustoconical shoulder region, together with alignment of a striker with an aperture in a sliding piston under the action of the force generating means. Additional packaged-drug structures include a receptacle sealed by the drive pin or other element, including a breakable base, and variants where a pioneer projectile is positioned below the base, or where a placebo is disposed behind the drug.
Claims Coverage
The provided content identifies seven inventive features across independent claims for the overall drug delivery device and packaged drug structures. The coverage centers on the upper and lower barrel architecture with piston-based priming, triggering and controlled pushing velocity less than 20 m/s, and packaged drug housings with drive pin or other element, skin piercing and skin-tensioning end regions, including resilient drive-pin withdrawal and breakable receptacle variants.
Upper and lower barrel drug delivery architecture with piston priming by sliding packaged drug
A drug delivery device comprising a housing including an upper barrel and a lower barrel, a means for generating a force capable of pushing a drug from a packaging into a human or animal body, where the lower barrel includes a means for transmitting said force to push the drug, a sliding piston, and a means for slidably receiving a packaged drug configured such that a packaged drug attached thereto can slide within the device and act against said piston to prime it.
Velocity less than 20 m/s pushing and triggering using force generating and force transmitting means
A means for triggering the device wherein said force generating means and said force transmitting means are configured to push the drug from the packaging into the human or animal body at a velocity of less than 20 m/s.
Packaged two-piece housing with drive pin, skin piercing means, and skin-tensioning end region
The packaged drug is slidably disposed in said lower barrel and comprises a packaging containing a drug, said packaging comprising a two-piece housing having a channel running therethrough in which is disposed a drive pin or other element, a skin piercing means and the drug, wherein said two-piece housing further comprises a region allowing the packaged drug to be slidably mounted to the drug delivery device at receiving means, and an end adapted to engage and tension the skin.
Resilient means to withdraw the drive pin after use
A resilient means below or otherwise in association with the drive pin or other elements to ensure the drive pin is withdrawn after use.
Spring force generation with spring follower and conical end/recess interface
The means for generating the force capable of pushing the drug is a spring and a spring follower, wherein a substantially conical end cooperates with a correspondingly shaped recess in the spring follower underside.
Striker with frustoconical shoulder region aligned through piston aperture
Wherein the means for transmitting the force is a striker, wherein a region of the striker is shaped to fit a correspondingly shaped surface in a wall separating said upper and lower barrels such that the striker is aligned to strike the drive pin or other element in the packaged drug on actuation, wherein the striker comprises a substantially frustoconical shoulder region which engages a substantially frustoconical surface in the wall separating said upper and lower barrels, and wherein the sliding piston has an aperture therein and the device comprises a slewing spring and the striker, all housed in said lower barrel, the device being triggered by the sliding of the piston up said lower barrel until the shoulder region of the striker engages the shaped surface and aligns the striker with the aperture in the sliding piston such that the striker moves down the aperture under the action of the force generating means.
Packaged drug receptacle sealed by drive pin or other element with breakable base and flexible arms
A packaged drug for use with a drug delivery device, comprising a receptacle having a breakable base and being sealed by the drive pin or other element, wherein said drive pin or other element comprises an elongate body and a plurality of flexible arms.
The core coverage centers on a needleless drug delivery device with an upper and lower barrel, where piston-based priming is achieved by sliding a packaged drug to act against the sliding piston, followed by triggering configured to push the drug at a velocity less than 20 m/s. The packaged drug structures in the claims include a channel carrying a drive pin or other element and a skin piercing means, with an end adapted to engage and tension the skin, and with resilient features to withdraw the drive pin after use. Additional claimed variants define spring and striker geometry using shaped surfaces and frustoconical engagement, together with a receptacle having a breakable base and flexible arms.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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