Patent Grant
9027551
The present invention relates to drug containment and/or dispensing systems suitable for dry powders formulated for delivery as inhalant aerosols.
Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) represent a promising alternative to pressurized pMDI (pressurized meted dose inhaler) devices for delivering drug aerosols without using CFC propellants. See generally, Crowder et al., 2001: an Odyssey in Inhaler Formulation and Design, Pharmaceutical Technology, pp. 99-113, July 2001; and Peart et al., New Developments in Dry Powder Inhaler Technology, American Pharmaceutical Review, Vol. 4, n. 3, pp. 37-45 (2001). Typically, the DPIs are configured to deliver a powdered drug or drug mixture that includes an excipient and/or other ingredients.
Generally described, known single and multiple dose dry powder DPI devices use: (a) individual pre-measured doses in blisters containing the drug, which can be inserted into the device prior to dispensing; or (b) bulk powder reservoirs which are configured to administer successive quantities of the drug to the patient via a dispensing chamber which dispenses the proper dose. See generally Prime et al., Review of Dry Powder Inhalers, 26 Adv. Drug Delivery Rev., pp. 51-58 (1997); and Hickey et al., A new millennium for inhaler technology, 21 Pharm. Tech., n. 6, pp. 116-125 (1997).
In operation, DPI devices strive to administer a uniform aerosol dispersion amount in a desired physical form of the dry powder (such as a particulate size) into a patient's airway and direct it to a desired deposit site(s).
A number of obstacles can undesirably impact the performance of the DPI. For example, the small size of the inhalable particles in the dry powder drug mixture can subject them to forces of agglomeration and/or cohesion (certain types of dry powders are susceptible to agglomeration, which is typically caused by particles of the drug adhering together), which can result in poor flow and non-uniform dispersion. In addition, as noted above, many dry powder formulations employ larger excipient particles to promote flow properties of the drug. However, separation of the drug from the excipient, as well as the presence of agglomeration, can require additional inspiratory effort, which, again, can impact the stable dispersion of the powder within the air stream of the patient. Unstable dispersions may inhibit the drug from reaching its preferred deposit/destination site and can prematurely deposit undue amounts of the drug elsewhere.
Further, some dry powder inhalers can retain a significant amount of the drug within the device, which can be especially problematic over time.
Some inhalation devices have attempted to resolve problems attendant with conventional passive inhalers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,523 proposes a dry powder inhalation device which has a deagglomeration/aerosolization plunger rod or biased hammer and solenoid, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,264 proposes the use of a battery-powered solenoid buzzer to vibrate the capsule to effectuate the release of the powder contained therein. These devices propose to facilitate the release of the dry powder by the use of energy input independent of patient respiratory effort. U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,663 to Eisele et al. proposes a dry powder inhaler delivery system with a rotatable carrier disk having a blister shell sealed by a shear layer that uses an actuator that tears away the shear layer to release the powder drug contents. The device also proposes a hanging mouthpiece cover that is attached to a bottom portion of the inhaler. U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,502 to Piper proposes a powder inhaler using patient inspiratory efforts for generating a respirable aerosol and also includes a rotatable cartridge holding the depressed wells or blisters defining the medicament holding receptacles. A spring-loaded carriage compresses the blister against conduits with sharp edges that puncture the blister to release the medication that is then entrained in air drawn in from the air inlet conduit so that aerosolized medication is emitted from the aerosol outlet conduit. The contents of all of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference as if stated in full herein.
More recently, Hickey et al., in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/434,009 and PCT Patent Publication No. WO 01/68169A1 and related U.S. National Stage patent application Ser. No. 10/204,609, have proposed a DPI system to actively facilitate the dispersion and release of dry powder drug formulations during inhalation using piezoelectric polymer film elements which may promote or increase the quantity of fine particle fraction particles dispersed or emitted from the device over conventional DPI systems. The contents of these documents are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.
Notwithstanding the above, there remains a need for alternative inhalers and/or blister packages that can be used with dry powder inhalers.
In some embodiments, inhalers comprise turbulence promoters that can generate flow patterns and/or interact with air and dry powder to deagglomerate the dry powder upon inspiration by a user. The flow patterns may include flow vortices of air and dry powder.
Some embodiments are directed to methods of deagglomerating dry powder using inspiratory effort of a user of an inhaler. The methods include generating a dry powder and air flow pattern having flow vortices, at least one vortex having an axis of rotation that extends axially in an inspiratory flow direction and at least another having a shedding vortex in an inspiratory airflow path as an amount of dry powder travels through the inhaler upon patient inspiration to thereby deagglomerate the dry powder without trapping undue amounts of the dry powder during inhalation.
In some embodiments, the generating step may be carried out using a plurality of spaced apart statically configured turbulence promoters that reside in the inspiratory airflow path, each defining at least one point and two edge portions that create respective point and edge-induced flow vortices.
Some embodiments are directed to methods of deagglomerating dry powder in a dry powder inhaler. The methods can include generating a dry powder and air flow pattern having flow vortices using at least one turbulence promoter that extends across at least a portion of an inspiratory flow path. The at least one turbulence promoter can be configured to generate at least some flow vortices having an axis of rotation that extends axially in an inspiratory flow direction in the inspiratory airflow path and at least some flow vortices having an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the inspiratory flow direction to thereby facilitate deagglomeration of the dry powder without trapping undue amounts of the dry powder in the inhaler.
In some embodiments, the airflow path has a deagglomerating portion that encloses the turbulence promoters, the deagglomerating portion having a cross-sectional area that is about 200 mm2 or less and in some particular embodiments, the deagglomerating portion of the inspiratory airflow path can have a cross-sectional width that is about 12 mm or less and may have a length that is less than about 1 inch.
Other embodiments are directed to inhalers that have: (a) an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and (b) at least one turbulence promoter residing in the inspiratory flow path, the at least one turbulence promoter comprising at least one point or edge configured to generate a flow vortex of air and dry powder in response to inspiratory effort by a user.
Some embodiments are directed to dry powder inhalers that include: (a) an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and (b) at least one turbulence promoter residing in the inspiratory flow path, the at least one turbulence promoter comprising at least two edges that converge to define a point. The at least one turbulence promoter can be configured to generate a plurality of point-induced and edge-induced flow vortices of air and dry powder in response to inspiratory effort by a user, whereby some of the flow vortices have an axis of rotation that extends in an inspiratory flow direction and some of the flow vortices have an axis of rotation that is substantially orthogonal to the inspiratory flow direction.
In some embodiments, the turbulence promoters comprise ramped fins that extend angularly inward at an acute angle from a bounding surface in a direction of flow into an inspiratory flow path to deagglomerate the dry powder without unduly trapping dry powder particulates.
The fins can have at least one sharp outer tip and long edges that create respective flow vortices and provide for cross-stream turbulence to deagglomerate the dry powder as the dry powder travels along the inspiratory flow path. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart fins can be arranged in axially spaced apart series.
Other embodiments are directed to inserts sized and configured for insertion into a dry powder inhaler, the insert having a plurality of spaced apart fins ramped from a bounding surface toward an axial centerline of the inhaler.
Still other embodiments are directed to methods of fabricating a dry powder inhaler to provide deagglomeration during inspiratory effort. In some embodiments, the methods include providing an insert having at least one fin extending angularly inward from a bounding surface; and placing the insert into an inspiratory airflow path of an inhaler.
In other embodiments, the methods can include (injection or otherwise) molding at least one fin extending angularly inward from a bounding surface into an inspiratory airflow path of an inhaler.
Some embodiments are directed to methods of fabricating an insert for an inhaler comprising photochemical etching a mesh pattern of shapes with points and long edges into a substrate.
Other dry powder inhalers include: (a) an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and (b) a plurality of axially spaced apart fins that incline inwardly at an acute angle in a primary direction of flow from a bounding surface so that a respective fin occupies a subportion of a cross-sectional width of the inspiratory flow path. The at least one fin having a body portion with at least two edges that meet to define at least one point, the edges and point residing in the inspiratory flow path. The at least one fin is configured to deagglomerate dry powder in response to inspiratory effort by a user.
Some dry powder inhalers include: (a) an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and (b) at least one mesh body residing in the inspiratory flow path. The at least one mesh body having a pattern of shapes that define two edges that meet at a point, the mesh body extending across at least a major portion of the inspiratory flow path to facilitate deagglomeration of dry powder as the dry powder flows through the mesh in response to inspiratory effort by a user.
The mesh body can be substantially planar and may be oriented to angle in an axial flow direction.
In some other embodiments, the mesh body has a three-dimensional shape in the inspiratory flow path, such as an elongate spiral, generally concave or generally conical shape.
Other embodiments are directed to dry powder inhalers that include: an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and at least one conical mesh body residing in the inspiratory flow path. The at least one mesh body has at least one of shaped open cells or closed shapes that define edges to thereby deagglomerate dry powder as the dry powder flows through the mesh in response to inspiratory effort by a user.
Some embodiments are directed to dry powder inhalers that include: (a) an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and (b) a plurality of fins that, in position, have a body with an elongate axial cross-section. The fins have a transverse cross-sectional width that is a minor portion of an axial length of the fin. The fins have a trailing edge defining a wingtip. When viewed in transverse cross section, the fins extend from a bounding surface a distance into the inspiratory airflow path, the distance being a sub-portion of a cross-sectional width of the inspiratory path whereby the fins deagglomerate dry powder in response to inspiratory effort by a user.
Still other embodiments are directed to dry powder inhalers that include: (a) an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and (b) at least one substantially conical or substantially concave mesh body residing in the inspiratory flow path. The at least one mesh body includes at least one of shaped open cells or closed shapes that define points to thereby facilitate deagglomeration of dry powder as the dry powder flows through the mesh in response to inspiratory effort by a user.
Other embodiments of dry powder inhalers include: (a) an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and (b) a plurality of fins that incline inwardly at an acute angle in a primary direction of flow from a bounding surface so that a respective fin occupies a subportion of a cross-sectional width of the inspiratory flow path. The at least one fin having a forward generally triangular body portion with two long edges that meet to define at least one point. The point residing at the trailing portion of the fin body in the inspiratory flow path to thereby deagglomerate dry powder in response to inspiratory effort by a user.
Still other embodiments are directed to dry powder inhalers that include: an inhaler body with an inspiratory flow path therein; and at least one spiral mesh body residing in the inspiratory flow path. The at least one spiral mesh body has open cell shapes with points whereby in response to inspiratory effort by a user dry powder and air flow interact with the spiral mesh body to deagglomerate dry powder.
It is noted that aspects of the invention may be embodied as hardware, software or combinations of same, i.e., devices and/or computer program products. These and other objects and/or aspects of the present invention are explained in detail in the specification set forth below.
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, certain layers, components or features may be exaggerated for clarity, and broken lines illustrate optional features or operations unless specified otherwise. In addition, the sequence of operations (or steps) is not limited to the order presented in the figures and/or claims unless specifically indicated otherwise. In the drawings, the thickness of lines, layers, features, components and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity and broken lines illustrate optional features or operations, unless specified otherwise.
It will be understood that when a feature, such as a layer, region or substrate, is referred to as being “on” another feature or element, it can be directly on the other feature or element or intervening features and/or elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another feature or element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be understood that, when a feature or element is referred to as being “connected”, “attached” or “coupled” to another feature or element, it can be directly connected, attached or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when a feature or element is referred to as being “directly connected”, “directly attached” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Although described or shown with respect to one embodiment, the features so described or shown can apply to other embodiments.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this application and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
In the description of the present invention that follows, certain terms are employed to refer to the positional relationship of certain structures relative to other structures. As used herein, the term “front” or “forward” and derivatives thereof refer to the general or primary direction that the dry powder travels as it is dispensed to a patient from a dry powder inhaler; this term is intended to be synonymous with the term “downstream,” which is often used in manufacturing or material flow environments to indicate that certain material traveling or being acted upon is farther along in that process than other material. Conversely, the terms “rearward” and “upstream” and derivatives thereof refer to the direction opposite, respectively, the forward or downstream direction.
The term “drug container package” describes a disposable drug container device that holds at least one unitized, meted and/or bolus amount of a target drug or medicament and may be also known as a drug containment system (“DCS”). The term “sealant layer” and/or “sealant material” includes configurations that have at least one layer or one material; thus, such a phrase also includes multi-layer or multi-material sealant configurations. The term “unitized” means a specified quantity of a pharmaceutical drug and/or medicament in terms of which the magnitudes of other quantities of the same or different drug and/or medicament can be stated.
The term “fin” means a protruding member that resides in the inspiratory air and dry powder flow path (typically downstream of a DCS or dry powder entry location) to promote turbulence and/or otherwise facilitate deagglomeration. The fin may be formed integral to the flow path or may be provided as a subassembly and/or a discrete component. A fin can have at least one point and two long edges (typically straight edges). The two long edges can converge to a corner to define the point.
The term “deagglomeration” and its derivatives refer to processing dry powder in the inhaler airflow path to inhibit the dry powder from remaining or becoming agglomerated or cohesive during inspiration. The term “mesh” means a material or member with open spaces. The mesh may take the form of joined, spaced apart, closed shapes or open shapes to provide a network of open spaces. The mesh may be rigid or resiliently configured. The closed shapes or open spaces may be regularly spaced or irregularly spaced.
The terms “conical” and “cone-like” mean that the referenced shape visually resembles a cone but is not intended to be overly formal and such a shape is not required to meet the mathematical definition of a cone. Generally stated, a shape is “conical” or “cone-like” when lines projected from the bounds of the shape axially converge to a vertex even though the body forming such a shape may be discontinuous or terminate before a cone is actually formed. The terms are also intended to include frustoconical shapes. The term “spiral” refers to a shape that resembles a spiral such that its body axially turns, coils or winds over its length at a varying or constant distance from a central axis. The term “substantially triangular” means that the shape is not a straight edge triangle but resembles a triangular shape and has at least two long edges that meet at a corner or point that is positioned the furthermost distance from an outer boundary surface into the airflow path.
The inhalers and methods of the present invention may be particularly suitable for holding a partial or bolus dose or doses of one or more types of particulate dry powder substances that are formulated for in vivo inhalant dispersion (using an inhaler) to subjects, including, but not limited to, animal and, typically, human subjects. The inhalers can be used for nasal and/or oral (mouth) respiratory inhalation delivery.
The dry powder substance may include one or more active pharmaceutical constituents as well as biocompatible additives that form the desired formulation or blend. As used herein, the term “dry powder” is used interchangeably with “dry powder formulation” and means that the dry powder can comprise one or a plurality of constituents or ingredients with one or a plurality of (average) particulate size ranges. The term “low-density” dry powder means dry powders having a density of about 0.8 g/cm3 or less. In particular embodiments, the low-density powder may have a density of about 0.5 g/cm3 or less. The dry powder may be a dry powder with cohesive or agglomeration tendencies.
In any event, individual dispensable quantities of dry powder formulations can be a single ingredient or a plurality of ingredients, whether active or inactive. The inactive ingredients can include additives added to enhance flowability or to facilitate aerosolization delivery to the desired target. The dry powder drug formulations can include active particulate sizes that vary. The device may be particularly suitable for dry powder formulations having particulates which are in the range of between about 0.5-50 μm, typically in the range of between about 0.5 μm-20.0 μm, and more typically in the range of between about 0.5 μm-8.0 μm. The dry powder formulation can also include flow-enhancing ingredients, which typically have particulate sizes that may be larger than the active ingredient particulate sizes. In certain embodiments, the flow-enhancing ingredients can include excipients having particulate sizes on the order of about 50-100 μm. Examples of excipients include lactose and trehalose. Other types of excipients can also be employed, such as, but not limited to, sugars which are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) as cryoprotectants (e.g., mannitol) or as solubility enhancers (e.g., cyclodextrine) or other generally recognized as safe (“GRAS”) excipients.
“Active agent” or “active ingredient” as described herein includes an ingredient, agent, drug, compound, or composition of matter or mixture, which provides some pharmacologic, often beneficial, effect. This includes foods, food supplements, nutrients, drugs, vaccines, vitamins, and other beneficial agents. As used herein, the terms further include any physiologically or pharmacologically active substance that produces a localized and/or systemic effect in a patient.
The active ingredient or agent that can be delivered includes antibiotics, antiviral agents, anepileptics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents and bronchodilators, and may be inorganic and/or organic compounds, including, without limitation, drugs which act on the peripheral nerves, adrenergic receptors, cholinergic receptors, the skeletal muscles, the cardiovascular system, smooth muscles, the blood circulatory system, synoptic sites, neuroeffector junctional sites, endocrine and hormone systems, the immunological system, the reproductive system, the skeletal system, autacoid systems, the alimentary and excretory systems, the histamine system, and the central nervous system. Suitable agents may be selected from, for example and without limitation, polysaccharides, steroid, hypnotics and sedatives, psychic energizers, tranquilizers, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants, anti-Parkinson agents, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, muscle contractants, antimicrobials, antimalarials, hormonal agents including contraceptives, sympathomimetics, polypeptides and/or proteins (capable of eliciting physiological effects), diuretics, lipid regulating agents, antiandrogenic agents, antiparasitics, neoplastics, antineoplastics, hypoglycemics, nutritional agents and supplements, growth supplements, fats, antienteritis agents, electrolytes, vaccines and diagnostic agents.
The active agents may be naturally occurring molecules or they may be recombinantly produced, or they may be analogs of the naturally occurring or recombinantly produced active agents with one or more amino acids added or deleted. Further, the active agent may comprise live attenuated or killed viruses suitable for use as vaccines. Where the active agent is insulin, the term “insulin” includes natural extracted human insulin, recombinantly produced human insulin, insulin extracted from bovine and/or porcine and/or other sources, recombinantly produced porcine, bovine or other suitable donor/extraction insulin and mixtures of any of the above. The insulin may be neat (that is, in its substantially purified form), but may also include excipients as commercially formulated. Also included in the term “insulin” are insulin analogs where one or more of the amino acids of the naturally occurring or recombinantly produced insulin has been deleted or added.
It is to be understood that more than one active ingredient or agent may be incorporated into the aerosolized active agent formulation and that the use of the term “agent” or “ingredient” in no way excludes the use of two or more such agents. Indeed, some embodiments of the present invention contemplate administering combination drugs that may be mixed in situ.
Examples of diseases, conditions or disorders that may be treated according to embodiments of the invention include, but are not limited to, asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), viral or bacterial infections, influenza, allergies, cystic fibrosis, and other respiratory ailments as well as diabetes and other insulin resistance disorders. The dry powder inhalation may be used to deliver locally-acting agents such as antimicrobials, protease inhibitors, and nucleic acids/oligionucleotides as well as systemic agents such as peptides like leuprolide and proteins such as insulin. For example, inhaler-based delivery of antimicrobial agents such as antitubercular compounds, proteins such as insulin for diabetes therapy or other insulin-resistance related disorders, peptides such as leuprolide acetate for treatment of prostate cancer and/or endometriosis and nucleic acids or ogligonucleotides for cystic fibrosis gene therapy may be performed. See e.g. Wolff et al., Generation of Aerosolized Drugs, J. Aerosol. Med. pp. 89-106 (1994). See also U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20010053761, entitled Method for Administering ASPB28-Human Insulin and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20010007853, entitled Method for Administering Monomeric Insulin Analogs, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.
Typical dose amounts of the unitized dry powder mixture dispersed in the inhalers may vary depending on the patient size, the systemic target, and the particular drug(s). A conventional exemplary dry powder dose amount for an average adult is less than about 50 mg, typically between about 10-30 mg and for an average adolescent pediatric subject is typically from about 5-10 mg. A typical dose concentration may be between about 1-2%. Exemplary dry powder drugs include, but are not limited to, albuterol, fluticasone, beclamethasone, cromolyn, terbutaline, fenoterol, β-agonists (including long-acting β-agonists), salmeterol, formoterol, cortico-steroids and glucocorticoids. In certain embodiments, the administered bolus or dose can be formulated with an increase in concentration (an increased percentage of active constituents) over conventional blends. Further, the dry powder formulations may be configured as a smaller administrable dose compared to the conventional 10-25 mg doses. For example, each administrable dry powder dose may be on the order of less than about 60-70% of that of conventional doses. In certain particular embodiments, using the active dispersal systems provided by certain embodiments of the DPI configurations of the instant invention, the adult dose may be reduced to under about 15 mg, such as between about 10 μg-10 mg, and more typically between about 50 μg-10 mg. The active constituent(s) concentration may be between about 5-10%. In other embodiments, active constituent concentrations can be in the range of between about 10-20%, 20-25%, or even larger. In particular embodiments, such as for nasal inhalation, target dose amounts may be between about 12-100 μg.
In certain particular embodiments, during dose dispensing, the dry powder in a particular drug compartment or blister may be formulated in high concentrations of an active pharmaceutical constituent(s) substantially without additives (such as excipients). As used herein, “substantially without additives” means that the dry powder is in a substantially pure active formulation with only minimal amounts of other non-biopharmacological active ingredients. The term “minimal amounts” means that the non-active ingredients may be present, but are present in greatly reduced amounts, relative to the active ingredient(s), such that they comprise less than about 10%, and preferably less than about 5%, of the dispensed dry powder formulation, and, in certain embodiments, the non-active ingredients are present in only trace amounts.
(a) a flow pattern that has at least one tip-induced vortex;
(b) a flow pattern that has at least one edge-induced vortex;
(c) an area of cross section blocked by the fins (the “effective area” or what appears to be blocked when looking straight down or in an end view of the airpath);
(d) turbulence, including peak turbulence achieved and a portion of the airpath cross-section over which turbulent flow exists (turbulence is defined by a Reynolds number (Re) >4000). It is believed that the higher the Reynolds number, the higher the shear forces are in the flow. One parameter that may be a good indicator of deagglomeration is turbulent kinetic energy or turbulent dissipation rather than simply the Re number (or with the Re number));
(e) impaction, the deagglomerating member (such as fins) are obstructions in the airpath with which at least some particles can collide, break up and continue down the airpath; and
(f) indirect airpath, at least some of the particles should flow in a non-straight path through the airpath because of the (partially) blocking deagglomerating member or turbulence promoter which may help break up the agglomerates. The amount of particles that may be configured to flow in an offset (non-straight) path can be a minor portion (such as between about 10% to less than about 50%) of the dry particles, at least about major portion (such as about 50-55%), or greater than a major portion (such as between about 55%-75%). However, not all the particles are required to flow in the non-straight path as resistance may be unduly increased.
Dry powder inhalers according to the present invention can use deagglomeration members that are turbulence promoters that are designed to provide appropriate airpath resistance, inhibit powder deposition (trapping) and provide a suitable FPF. The term “FPF” refers to fine particle fraction, which is well known to those of skill in the field of inhalers.
In some embodiments (when analyzed in a steady state flow), at least one vortex can be generated to have an axis of rotation that extends in an inspiratory flow direction in an inspiratory airflow path, as an amount of dry powder travels through the inhaler upon patient inspiration, to thereby deagglomerate dry powder without trapping undue amounts of the dry powder in the inhaler during inhalation (block 10).
In some embodiments, the vortices can include tip and edge-induced swirling flow vortices generated by at least one point and two edges of a fin or other member that is disposed in the inspiratory airflow path (block 12).
In at least steady state flow conditions, the edge induced flow vortices can be shedding flow vortices and the point induced flow vortices can reduce the size of their rotational shape as the airflow and dry powder flow axially downstream of the generation loci.
The inspiratory airflow path can have a deagglomerating segment 51 (
Generally stated, the at least one turbulence promoter 75 can be configured in different manners and can reside inside an enclosed air space that is intermediate a mouthpiece 52 (exit port) (
It is noted that the turbulence promoters described herein can be used with any suitable inhaler and they are not to be limited to their use with the specific inhalers described herein.
Some embodiments of the invention employ some designs similar to those proposed or in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,368 (“the '368 patent”), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein. However, the '368 patent is directed to macroflow steady state gas or liquid mixing using ramped tabs. In contrast to some of the embodiments that will be discussed below, the '368 patent is directed to cross-stream mixing and states that “a tab shape, such as a triangle, is not desired because complete revolution would not be attainable near the forward apex of the triangle” (col. 8, lines 66-69). Surprisingly, some inventors of the instant invention conceived that it might be possible to deagglomerate dry powders in transient flow inhalers if the designs could be made to inhibit trapping of particulates or granules, which is not of concern in liquid or gas mixing systems, and if inspiratory resistance could be made acceptable. The present invention is directed to deagglomeration of dry powder using transient airflow of relatively short duration and turbulence promoters such as fins and/or mesh disposed in the airpath to deagglomerate the dry powder. A graph of data regarding the FPF vs. Resistance of an exemplary dry powder drug formulation and different turbulence promoters that occlude portions of the flow path is shown in
For clarity, it is noted that the exemplary flow patterns shown in the figures and described herein have not been modeled or experimentally confirmed for transient flow, but rather come from a steady state flow. However, the experiments summarized in
As shown in
Vortices 40v can be generated by each fin 75f as the air and dry powder travel in the inspiratory direction of a user.
In some embodiments, as shown in
The inspiratory flow path 40 (at least about the deagglomerating segment 51) can have a circular cross section but may also have other shapes, such as, but not limited to, rectangular, square, elliptical, oval, curvilinear, triangular, and polygonal.
The turbulence promoter(s) 75 can be integrally molded to the inner surface of the inspiratory flow path 40 or may be provided as an insert or discrete attached member. The molded version may be injection molded. In the embodiment shown in
The shapes of the fins 75f are shown flat in
The fins 75f in
The fins 75f shown in
As shown in both
In particular embodiments, for a deagglomeration segment 51 of an airflow path 40 having a cross-sectional width “W” and length “L”, the fins 75f can extend from a respective bounding surface (such as from opposing sides of a wall) and occupy about 25% each (total about 50%) of the W and/or L, leaving the center space 40m having about 50% of the distance L and/or W.
In some embodiments, the inhaler 50 has a tubular shape with respect to the deagglomerating segment 51, with a cross-sectional diameter of about 10 mm, typically about 8 mm or about 6 mm. The open center space 40m may have a width (measured side to side and/or top to bottom) of between about 1-6 mm. For example, a flow path of about 6 mm diameter can have an open center space 40m of between about 2-4 mm, a flow path of about 8 mm diameter can have a open center space 40m of between about 2-5 mm, and a flow path of about 10 mm diameter can have an open space 40m of between about 3-6 mm. The flow path 40 can have different cross-sectional widths at different portions of the deagglomerating segment 51 or may have the same width and area along the length thereof.
As shown in
In other embodiments, the fins 75f can provide a totally occluded center space (when viewed from the end) as a series of fins can be arranged to leave no open center space, one or more fins can be sized and configured to extend greater than a major distance across the span of the flow path. The bounds of the fins can visually meet to close the center or bounds of one or more of the fins can extend a further distance to overlap with the bounds of another.
For example, as shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments using arrays of fins, opposing pairs of fins in the array can be configured to extend cumulative between about 25-40% of the cross-sectional width so that an open medial space 40m remains. In other embodiments, fins in certain fin arrays can be sized to define a closed center space 40m therebetween (when viewed from the end).
Unlike the '368 patent discussed above, the fins 75f can be spaced and configured so that the vortices from points interfere with each other and/or so that adjacent ones do not form full vortices. That is because in the instant invention the fins 75f are directed to facilitate deagglomeration rather than to mix the dry powder. It is contemplated that the fin 75f (or arrays of fins) can be configured to be relatively closely axially spaced, such that the forward end of the upstream fin can terminate as the rearward end of the downstream fin starts to angle in from the bounding surface. In some embodiments, adjacent arrays of fins can be spaced apart a distance of between about 1-12 mm, and may be typically spaced at about the same distance as the cross sectional width (diameter) of the air path.
Some embodiments of the present invention employ the proportion (A is to B as B is to C) as shown in
As is also shown, the fins 75f can have an angle 77 and a length “L” that directs the fins 75f to taper into the flow path to reside at a desired location in the flow path 40. The fins 75f may extend inwardly a distance “d” from the bounding surface toward the center of the flow path 40c. As noted above, the distance d may be sufficient to cause the fins to occupy greater than a major portion of the flow path cross-sectional area. The distance L is dependent on the angle 77 selected and/or the distance “d” into the airpath the fin is desired to reach. Thus, for example, an “L” of a fin (single) or a fin in a fin array can result from a selection of “d” and the angle of orientation desired.
As shown, the mesh bodies 1000 can have mesh configurations that have internal and/or external points 1000p that can create flow turbulence. In some embodiments, the mesh configurations may be configured to generate flow vortices, with points 1000p and long edges 1000e similar to those shown with respect to the fins 75f described above or may configured to facilitate deagglomeration in other manners (impaction, turbulence, etc.). The mesh 1000 may be configured to extend across all or a portion of the flow path 40.
For both mesh and fin configurations, the material and configuration should be cleanable to suitable standards. In some embodiments, the material maybe selected so as to be heat resistant or compatible with irradiation sterilization procedures because, in use, the inhaler and/or mesh may be exposed to sterilization procedures. The spiral, mesh and/or fin deagglomeration member(s) can be configured so as to be relatively easily washed or rinsed in situ or as a removable component by a user at certain times during a life cycle.
In some embodiments, the mouthpiece port 52 (
The inhaler 50 can also include a display and a user input. The user input may include a “+” and a “−” input key (not shown). The user input can comprise contact pads, a touch screen or other input means, including a numeric entry device which can be used to track the amount of unitized bolus amounts of a target bolus amount of a drug needed by a user.
As shown in
The inhaler 50 can include a computer port (not shown). The port may be, for example, an RS 232 port, an infrared data association (IrDA) or universal serial bus (USB), which may be used to download or upload selected data from/to the inhaler to a computer application or remote computer, such as a clinician or other site. The inhaler 50 can be configured to communicate with a clinician or pharmacy for refills and/or patient compliance. The inhaler 50 may also include a second peripheral device communication port (not shown).
In some embodiments, the controller can include computer program code and/or computer applications that communicate additional data to a user (optionally to the display) as noted above and/or communicate with another remote device (the term “remote” including communicating with devices that are local but typically not connected during normal inhalant use) device.
In some embodiments, the controller can be in communication with the vibrator 80, which can generate powder specific excitation signals. The controller can be programmed with or in communication with an electronic library of a plurality of desired dry powder excitation signals that can be automatically selected by the controller based on the data relayed and carried by the drug containment system 10 corresponding to the drug type/drug disposed therein. In this way, customized drug signals can be used to fluidize the dry powder. In other embodiments, the dry powder excitation signal can be carried on the electronic memory (not shown) held on the drug containment system itself, and the controller can be configured to output the signal to the vibrator 80 operatively associated with the dry powder. Examples of excitation signals and selection methodology are described in co-pending U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004-0025877-A1 and 2004-0123864, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein. For example, the excitation signals can be powder specific and employ a carrier frequency modulated by one or more modulating frequencies (that may be amplitude modulating frequencies) that can facilitate fluidic and reliable flow of the dry powder.
The vibratory signal can include a carrier frequency that may be between about 50 Hz to about 1000 Hz, and typically is between about 100 Hz-1000 Hz. The carrier frequency may be modified by one or more low modulating frequencies (typically between about 10-200 Hz). The frequency of the vibration can be modified to match or correspond to the flow characteristics of the dry powder substance held in the package to attempt to reach a resonant frequency(s) to promote uniform drug dispersion into the body. In some embodiments, a non-linear powder-specific dry powder vibratory energy signal comprises a plurality of selected frequencies that can be generated (corresponding to the particular dry powder(s) being currently dispensed) to output the particular signal corresponding to the dry powder(s) then being dispensed. As used herein, the term “non-linear” means that the vibratory action or signal applied to the package to deliver a dose of dry powder to a user has an irregular shape or cycle, typically employing multiple superimposed frequencies, and/or a vibratory frequency line shape that has varying amplitudes (peaks) and peak widths over typical standard intervals (per second, minute, etc.) over time. In contrast to conventional systems, the non-linear vibratory signal input can operate without a fixed single or steady state repeating amplitude at a fixed frequency or cycle. This non-linear vibratory input can be applied to the blister to generate a variable amplitude motion (in either a one, two and/or three-dimensional vibratory motion). The non-linear signal fluidizes the powder in such a way that a powder “flow resonance” is generated allowing active flowable dispensing.
In some embodiments, a signal of combined frequencies can be generated to provide a non-linear signal to improve fluidic flow performance. Selected frequencies can be superimposed to generate a single superposition signal (that may also include weighted amplitudes for certain of the selected frequencies or adjustments of relative amplitudes according to the observed frequency distribution). Thus, the vibratory signal can be a derived non-linear oscillatory or vibratory energy signal used to dispense a particular dry powder. In certain embodiments, the output signal used to activate the piezoelectric blister channel may include a plurality of (typically at least three) superpositioned modulating frequencies and a selected carrier frequency. The modulating frequencies can be in the range noted herein (typically between about 10-500 Hz), and, in certain embodiments may include at least three, and typically about four, superpositioned modulating frequencies in the range of between about 10-100 Hz, and more typically, four superpositioned modulating frequencies in the range of between about 10-15 Hz.
The vibrator 80 can be any suitable vibrator configuration. The vibrator 80 can be configured to vibrate the dry powder in the airflow path. In some embodiments, the vibrator 80 can be configured to vibrate the drug compartment holding the dry powder. Examples of vibrators include, but are not limited to, one or more of: (a) ultrasound or other acoustic or sound-based sources (above, below or at audible wavelengths) that can be used to instantaneously apply non-linear pressure signals onto the dry powder; (b) electrical or mechanical deflection of the sidewalls and/or floor of the inhalation flow channel and/or drug compartment, which can include magnetically induced or caused vibrations and/or deflections (which can use electro or permanent field magnets); (c) solenoids, piezoelectrically active portions and the like; and (d) oscillating or pulsed gas (airstreams), which can introduce changes in one or more of volume flow, linear velocity, and/or pressure. Examples of mechanical and/or electro-mechanical vibratory devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,727,607, 5,909,829 and 5,947,169, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein. In some particular embodiments, the vibrator 80 includes at least one piezoelectric element, such as a piezoceramic component, and/or a piezoelectric polymer film.
In certain embodiments, the inhaler 50 can include visible indicia and/or can be configured to provide audible alerts to warn a user that a DCS is misaligned in the inhaler 50 and/or that a dose was properly (and/or improperly) inhaled or released from the inhaler device. For example, certain dry powder dose sizes are formulated so that it can be difficult for a user to know whether they have inhaled the medicament (typically the dose is aerosolized and enters the body with little or no taste and/or tactile feel for confirmation). Thus, a sensor (not shown) can be positioned in communication with the flow path in an inhaler and configured to be in communication with a digital signal processor or microcontroller each held in or on the inhaler. In operation, the sensor can be configured to detect a selected parameter, such as a difference in weight, a density in the exiting aerosol formulation, and the like, to confirm that the dose was released.
The circuit 50c (
While the present invention is illustrated, for example, with reference to particular divisions of programs, functions and memories, the present invention should not be construed as limited to such logical divisions. Thus, the present invention(s) should not be construed as limited to the configurations shown and described, as the invention(s) is intended to encompass any configuration capable of carrying out the operations described herein.
Certain embodiments may be particularly suitable for dispensing medication to diabetic patients, cystic fibrosis patients and/or patients having diseases or impairments where variable bolus medicaments are desired. Other embodiments may be particularly suitable for dispensing narcotics, hormones and/or infertility treatments.
The present invention is explained in greater detail in the following non-limiting Examples.
It is anticipated that different fin and/or mesh configurations may be used for different formulations of dry powder (types, quantities and the like). It is also anticipated that different resistance performance may be desired for different diseases or conditions and the fins/mesh for the inhalers can be configured for their target disease or condition. For example, it may be desirable to increase resistance for insulin delivery to slow intake at delivery. In contrast, it may be desirable to have reduced resistance for asthma where the lungs may be compromised and/or inspiratory ability may be decreased.
It is contemplated that the fin or mesh design can be chosen based on the drug being delivered to give the desired resistance and a suitable FPF. For example, there are four designs shown in
The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses, where used, are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, as well as other embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/575,178, which is a 35 USC 371 national phase application of PCT/US2005/032492, filed Sep. 12, 2005, which claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/609,485, filed Sep. 13, 2004, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20130152926 A1 | Jun 2013 | US |
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| 60609485 | Sep 2004 | US |
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| Parent | 11575178 | US | |
| Child | 13734323 | US |
