Patent Application
20060130828
The present disclosure relates generally to pharmaceutically active ingredients and more particularly to a method of making a pharmaceutically active ingredient abuse-prevention device.
Pharmaceutically active ingredients may include various drugs that exhibit opium or morphine-like properties, such as, for example opioids. Opioids are often administered to patients as analgesics, but have many other pharmacological effects, including drowsiness, respiratory depression, mood swings, and mental clouding without loss of consciousness. Opioids act as agonists as they interact with stereospecific and saturable binding sites in the brain and other tissues. Endogenous opioid-like peptides may be present in areas of the central nervous system that may be related to pain perception, movement, mood, behavior, and the regulation of neuroendocrinological functions. Opium contains more than twenty distinct alkaloids, including morphine, codeine and papaverine.
Repeated opioid use may lead to the development of tolerance, physical dependence, and/or psychological dependence (i.e., addiction) thereon. A concern in using opioids for the treatment of pain is the potential development of such tolerance and/or addiction. Another major concern is the transportation of these drugs from the patient to a non-patient for recreational purposes.
Opioid antagonists have been developed to block or reverse the effects of opioid agonists. Opioid antagonists have been used as once-a-day treatments to substantially block the euphoric effects that might be otherwise obtained upon administration of opioids to addicts. While small doses of antagonists may be used to determine whether an individual is physically dependent on a drug, more commonly, antagonists are used to reverse the effects of drugs on individuals who have overdosed.
There have previously been attempts to control the potential abuse of opioids. Particular doses of opioids may be more potent when administered parenterally than when administered orally. Attempts to reduce or prevent abuse have included adding an antagonist to the oral dosage form which is not orally active but which will substantially block the analgesic/euphoric effects of the opioid if an attempt is made to dissolve the opioid and administer it parenterally.
Attempts have also been made to control the potential abuse of opioids contained within inhalation systems. These attempts include some form of “lock and key” to allow a certain patient access to the opioid. However, the potential of abuse remains, as the keys could be shared with others or the device could be tampered with in an attempt to remove the opioid.
As such, it would be desirable to provide an inhalation system that substantially prevents abuse of a pharmaceutically active ingredient contained therein.
A method of making a pharmaceutically active ingredient abuse-prevention device is disclosed. The method includes providing a pharmaceutically active ingredient and an antagonist of the pharmaceutically active ingredient. The antagonist is in selective fluid communication with the pharmaceutically active ingredient. Electronic circuitry is configured to selectively operate the fluid communication between the antagonist and the pharmaceutically active ingredient so as to mix the pharmaceutically active ingredient with the antagonist upon recognition of one or more predetermined fault conditions. Mixing the pharmaceutically active ingredient with the antagonist renders the pharmaceutically active ingredient substantially ineffective.
Objects, features and advantages will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings, in which like reference numerals correspond to similar, though not necessarily identical components. For the sake of brevity, reference numerals having a previously described function may not necessarily be described in connection with subsequent drawings in which they appear.
Embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously provide a method for preventing abuse of a pharmaceutically active ingredients (non-limitative examples of which include medicants and opioids). The method generally includes providing a pharmaceutically active ingredient and an antagonist of the pharmaceutically active ingredient, such that the antagonist is in selective fluid communication with the pharmaceutically active ingredient. The fluid communication is advantageously selectively controlled such that, upon exposure to and/or recognition of certain fault conditions, the pharmaceutically active ingredient and antagonist are mixed. As such, the selective fluid communication allows the pharmaceutically active ingredient to be rendered substantially ineffective when, for example, the pharmaceutically active ingredient has expired, an unauthorized user attempts to use the pharmaceutically active ingredient, and/or someone attempts to abuse the pharmaceutically active ingredient. It is to be understood that when the pharmaceutically active ingredient is rendered substantially ineffective, the antagonist counteracts the effects of the pharmaceutically active ingredient such that the user is advantageously prevented from potentially abusing the pharmaceutically active ingredient.
Alternate embodiment(s) include drop-generating technology in mixing the antagonist with the pharmaceutically active agent. A system for preventing pharmaceutically active ingredient abuse and an inhaler incorporating the various embodiments of the system are also disclosed herein.
Referring now to
An alternate embodiment of the method (not depicted in
It is to be understood that embodiment(s) of the method will be referred to in more detail in reference to
Referring now to
The pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 (a non-limitative example of which is an opioid) and an antagonist 14 of the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 are respectively contained in a reservoir 16 and a chamber/second reservoir 18. As depicted, the chamber 18 and the antagonist 14 are in selective fluid communication with, or are selectively fluidly coupled to, the reservoir 16 and the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 contained therein.
It is to be understood that any suitable agonist/antagonist combination may be used in embodiments of the system 100, inhaler 10 (as shown in
The pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 may include those substances having the capacity to produce one or more of the following: a physical dependence in which withdrawal causes sufficient distress to bring about drug-seeking behavior; the ability to assuage withdrawal symptoms caused by withdrawal from other drugs; euphoria; and patterns of toxicity resulting from a dosage above a normal therapeutic range.
In a non-limitative embodiment, the pharmaceutically active ingredient is an opioid. The term “opioid” includes stereoisomers thereof, metabolites thereof, salts thereof, ethers thereof, esters thereof, derivatives thereof, and/or mixtures thereof. Non-limitative examples of opioids include anileridine, allylprodine, alfentanil, alphaprodine, benzylmorphine, buprenorphine, bezitramide, butorphanol, codeine, clonitazene, cyclazocine, dezocine, desomorphine, dihydromorphine, dextromoramide, diampromide, dihydrocodeine, diethylthiambutene, dimenoxadol, dimepheptanol, dimethylthiambutene, dipipanone, dioxaphetyl butyrate, eptazocine, ethylmorphine, ethylmethylthiambutene, etonitazine, ethoheptazine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, heroin, 6-hydroxymorphone, hydroxypethidine, hydromorphone, isomethadone, ketobemidone, levallorphan, levophenacylmorphan, lofentanil, levorphanol, morphine, myrophine, meperidine, meptazinol, metazocine, methadone, metopon, narceine, nalbuphine, nalorphine, nicomorphine, norlevorphanol, normethadone, normorphine, norpipanone, opium, oxycodone, oxymorphone, piritramide, papaveretum, pentazocine, phenadoxone, phenazocine, phenoperidine, piminodine, phenomorphan, propheptazine, promedol, properidine, propiram, propoxyphene, sufentanil, tilidine, tramadol, stereoisomers thereof, metabolites thereof, salts thereof, ethers thereof, esters thereof, and/or derivatives thereof, and/or mixtures thereof.
Non-limitative examples of antagonists include buprenorphine, cyclazocine, cyclophan, levallorphan, nalorphine, naltrexone, naloxone, nalmefene, nalbuphine, oxilorphan, pentazocine, and/or mixtures thereof.
In an embodiment, selective fluid communication/coupling between the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18 is controlled by electronic circuitry 20. In an example embodiment, electronic circuitry 20 includes a controller 17, an input or sensing device 19, a storage device 21 (e.g. a device capable of storing patient and other information), and/or drive circuitry 23. The controller 17 is configured to receive input from the input or sensing device 19; receive signals from, and send control signals to the ejector head 40 (described in reference to
It is to be understood that the input or sensing device 19 may be partially or substantially wholly incorporated into the electronic circuitry 20. The input or sensing device 19 is configured to impart a “fault” or “end state” condition signal to the controller 17 in the event that, for example, expiration, abuse, and/or exhaustion of the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 occurs. It is to be understood that a “fault condition” may also be imparted within any portion of the electronic circuitry 20 or outside of the electronic circuitry 20. The input or sensing device 19 may include any or all of the following:
(a) A sensor configured to sense tampering of the inhaler 10 or system 100, such as an attempt to access the active ingredient 12. It is to be understood that the sensor may generate a signal that is passed to the controller 17 in the event of tampering.
(b) A sensor configured to sense the opening of an access door (not shown) in the inhaler 10 or system 100.
(c) A timer system configured to generate an expiration or fault signal upon reaching a certain time limit for use of the inhaler 10, system 100, and/or the active ingredient 12.
(d) A fluid level or volume indication system configured to provide an indication of an empty condition or fault condition when it is estimated or determined that the active ingredient 12 is no longer sufficient to allow proper operation of the inhaler 10 or system 100.
(e) A system for determining malfunction of one or more portions of the inhaler 10 or system 100.
In an embodiment, the controller 17 provides control signals to the ejector head 40 for control of any drop ejection elements in the ejector head 40. In an example embodiment, the ejector head 40 includes drop generator drive circuitry 20′ (shown in
The storage device 21 stores a variety of information, such as, for example information indicative of an initial state of the inhaler 10 or system 100, a current state of the inhaler 10 or system 100, an amount of active ingredient 12 initially or remaining in the reservoir 16, whether a fault condition has occurred, and the like, and combinations thereof. In a non-limitative example, the storage device 21 is a non-volatile memory device. In other embodiments, the storage device 21 may include fusible links or other means for storing information.
It is to be understood that if a fault condition is imparted to the controller 17, the controller 17 applies signals to the drive circuitry 23 that in turn applies power signals to the coupling device 22 to enable mixing of the antagonist 14 with the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12.
Non-limitative examples of suitable predetermined fault conditions that the controller 17 may recognize include the following: system 100 or inhaler 10 tampering (non-limitative examples of which include removal or disassembly of the reservoir 16 and drilling into the reservoir 16), pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 expiration, pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 overuse or misuse, attempted re-use after system 100 or inhaler 10 disposal, unauthorized use, loss of back pressure, user request, and combinations thereof.
In response to receiving the one or more of the predetermined fault conditions, the controller 17 of the electronic circuitry 20 activates fluid communication between the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18 such that the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 mixes with the antagonist 14, thereby rendering the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 substantially ineffective. It is to be understood that the antagonist 14 is not released during normal operation of the system 100 (or inhaler 10), but rather is released upon recognition of the predetermined fault condition.
In an embodiment, a selectively actuated fluid coupling device 22 is operatively connected to the electronic circuitry 20 to achieve the selective fluid communication. In this embodiment, when a predetermined fault condition has been imparted, the electronic circuitry 20 actuates (e.g. opens, breaks, tears) the coupling device 22, which allows the antagonist 14 to mix with the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12. It is to be understood that any suitable selectively actuated fluid coupling device 22 may be used. Non-limitative examples of such coupling devices 22 include, but are not limited to electronic pumps, electronic valves, rupturable membranes (see
In an alternate embodiment, selective fluid communication may be mechanically controlled. For example, a patient or a caregiver may actuate mixing prior to disposal of the device 10 or system 100. This may be accomplished via a mechanical member (a non-limitative example of which includes a switch) that operatively controls fluid communication between the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18.
As depicted, the rupturable membrane 24 initially divides the reservoir 16 from the chamber 18. In an example embodiment, membrane 24 is a single or multilayer plastic film and includes a conductor and/or a wire pattern 28 operatively disposed thereon or therebetween. It is to be understood that incorporating the conductor and/or wire pattern 28 between the multiple layers of the membrane 24 may substantially prevent its exposure to reagents within the reservoir 16 and chamber 18 prior to membrane 24 rupture. The conductor and/or wire pattern 28 may have any suitable shape, geometry, and/or configuration as desired.
Non-limitative examples of suitable materials that make up the membrane 24 include polyethylene, oriented polyesters (for example polyethyleneterephthalate (PET)), evaporated metals, adhesion layers, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and/or combinations thereof, and/or other such layers optimal for forming fluid barriers and/or for assembly. The membrane 24 may have any suitable thickness. Non-limitative examples of a suitable thickness range between about 10 μm and about 300 μm.
As depicted, the electronic circuitry 20 may be operatively connected to the conductor and/or wire pattern 28, such that upon recognition of a fault condition, the electronic circuitry 20 sends current through the conductor and/or wire pattern 28. The current heats the conductor and/or wire pattern 28, thereby causing the film of membrane 24 to rupture. As a result, the barrier between the antagonist 14 and the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 is disabled, thereby mixing the two.
Referring now to
In an embodiment, the reservoir 16 (having the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 disposed therein) and the chamber/second reservoir 18 (having the antagonist 14 disposed therein) are located within the inhaler 10. It is to be understood that the reservoir 16 is selectively fluidly coupled to the chamber 18, by, for example, fluid coupling device 22. As depicted, the chamber 18 is positioned over the reservoir 16. However, it is to be understood that the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18 may be positioned in any suitable manner/configuration such that they are selectively fluidly coupled. In a non-limitative example, the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18 may be positioned side by side within the inhaler 10. Further, the reservoir 16 and chamber 18 may take on any suitable shape, size, geometry, and/or configuration as desired. Non-limitative examples of suitable geometries include, but are not limited to cubic, cylindrical, pillow shaped, rounded, generally prismatic, and the like. Further, it is to be understood that the reservoir 16 and chamber 18 may be defined by rigid plastic walls, flexible plastic and/or metal films, rubber diaphragms, combinations thereof, and/or the like (non-limitative examples of which include those materials listed above in reference to membrane 24).
It is to be understood that the reservoir 16 is also in fluid communication with the drop ejector 30, such that the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 may be released from the inhaler 10. It is to be further understood that, after a fault condition is recognized and a user attempts to use the inhaler 10, the user will inhale a mixture of the antagonist 14 and the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12, rendering the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 substantially ineffective. Furthermore, the mixture of antagonist 14 and pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 is rendered substantially ineffective if administered by other routes, such as, for example, ingestion or injection.
An embodiment of the inhaler 10 includes the electronic circuitry 20 operatively controlling the fluid communication between the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18. It is to be understood that the electronic circuitry 20 may also control the drop ejector 30. In an embodiment, the drop ejector 30 is an element of a drop generating member 44 (see
In a non-limitative example embodiment, the drop ejector 30 of an oral inhaler releases discrete droplet(s) having diameter(s) ranging between about 1 μm and about 20 μm. For nasal inhalers, generally the discrete droplet(s) have diameters greater than about 20 μm.
In an embodiment, the inhaler 10 may optionally include an electronic sensing device 19 that is capable of sensing one or more predetermined fault conditions. In an embodiment, the sensing device 19 is operatively connected to the inhaler 10 and is in electrical communication with and/or forms a portion of the electronic circuitry 20. Upon sensing a fault condition, the electronic sensing device 19 may impart a signal to the controller 17 of the electronic circuitry 20, which in turn activates the selective fluid communication between the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18. It is to be understood that the electronic sensing device 19 may also be operatively connected to an embodiment of the system 100 as described herein.
The storage device 21 may store information pertaining to the inhaler 10 (or system 100), the patient, and/or the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12. Non-limitative examples of such information include an expiration date, identity of the patient, identity (e.g. serial number) of the reservoir 16, and whether the reservoir 16 had previously been installed elsewhere.
In the embodiment depicted in
Referring now to
When a predetermined fault condition occurs, the controller 17 activates drive circuitry 23 that in turn passes sufficient current through traces 38 to melt or otherwise rupture the plastic films previously separating chamber 18 from reservoir 16, thereby fluidly coupling chamber 18 to reservoir 16.
In a non-limiting example, the electronic circuitry 20 may send current to the traces 38 when a user prematurely (e.g. prior to expiration of the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12) opens the access door (not shown) to remove the cartridge 34. In this example, a fault signal is generated any time the access door is opened after installation of the cartridge 34. In response to the fault signal, the controller 17 activates the drive circuitry 21 to pass current to traces 38. It is to be understood that if the fault signal is generated before the full use of the contents of reservoir 16, then this may be indicative of tampering or unauthorized attempts to access the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 in reservoir 16.
Embodiment(s) of the system 100 and inhaler 10 as described herein may further include an additional means for sensing tampering. A conductor pattern (not shown) may be printed/placed on the reservoir 16, and the electronic circuitry 20 may be operatively connected thereto. It is to be understood that any sensing by the electronic circuitry 20 (e.g. sensing device 19), that the conductor pattern has been disrupted may trigger mixing of the antagonist 14 and the pharmaceutically active ingredient 14. A non-limitative example of the conductor pattern includes two metal layers on the reservoir 16. The electronic circuitry 20 may sense for shorting between these layers. Shorting may result from tampering with the inhaler 10. A non-limitative example of such tampering includes a puncture formed in the reservoir 16 by a user attempting to retrieve the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12.
It is to be understood that selective fluid communication between the drop ejector 30 and the chamber 18 generally means that the antagonist 14 is not released until the recognition of a predetermined fault condition.
In an embodiment, the drop ejector 30 is an element of a drop generating member 44 which is incorporated into an ejector head 40 (shown in
It is to be understood that the electronic circuitry 20 operates the release of the pharmaceutically active agent 12 under normal operation of the inhaler 10. Upon recognition of a fault condition or request, however, the electronic circuitry 20 activates fluid communication between the chamber/second reservoir 18 and the drop ejector 30. In an alternate embodiment, upon recognition of a predetermined fault condition or request, a user may mechanically activate the fluid communication between the chamber/second reservoir 18 and the drop ejector 30 via a switch. It is to be understood that, upon operation of the inhaler 10 after a fault condition or request has been recognized, both components 12, 14 are atomized by the ejector head 40 and released from the inhaler 10. As such, since both the antagonist 14 and the pharmaceutically active agent 12 are delivered from the inhaler 10, the pharmaceutically active agent 12 is rendered substantially ineffective.
Referring now to
Drop generating circuitry 20′ may be included in the ejector head 40. Non-limitative examples of drop generating circuitry 20′ include thin film circuitry or a thin film device that define drop ejection elements, such as resistors or piezo-transducers. Still further, the drop generating circuitry 20′ may include drive circuitry such as, for example, transistors, logic circuitry, and input contact pads. In one embodiment, the thin film circuitry includes a resistor configured to receive current pulses and to generate thermally generated bubbles in response. In another embodiment, the thin film circuitry includes a piezo-electric device configured to receive current pulses and to change dimension in response thereto.
It is to be understood that the drop generating circuitry 20′ of the ejector head 40 may receive electrical signals and in response, may activate one or more of the array of drop generators 44. Each drop generator 44 is pulse activated, such that it ejects a discrete droplet in response to receiving a current or voltage pulse. Each drop generator 44 may be addressed individually, or groups of drop generators 44 may be addressed substantially simultaneously.
A non-limitative example of the ejector head 40 includes a substrate 46 having a plurality of drop generating elements 44 thereon. Any suitable substrate 46 may be selected and in a non-limitative embodiment, the substrate is one or more of single crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon, silicon oxide containing dielectric substrates, alumina, sapphire, ceramic, glass, silicon wafers, plastics and/or combinations thereof.
It is to be understood that the drop generating technology described herein may be used in combination with any of the embodiments discussed herein.
Embodiments of the system 100, inhaler 10, and methods disclosed herein offer many advantages, including, but not limited to the following. The fluid communication between either the reservoir 16 and the chamber 18 or the chamber 18 and the drop ejector 30 or ejector head 40 is advantageously controlled such that, upon exposure to and/or recognition of certain predetermined fault conditions, the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 and antagonist 14 are mixed (either in the reservoirs 16, 18 and/or as the agents 12, 14 are being atomized and/or otherwise ejected from the inhaler 10 or system 100). Non-limitative examples of when the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 may be rendered substantially ineffective include expiration of the ingredient 12, unauthorized use of the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12, tampering with the inhaler 10/system 100, etc. It is to be understood that when the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 is rendered substantially ineffective (for example, through blocking of agonist receptor sites in the body by the antagonist 14), the antagonist 14 counteracts the effects of the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12 such that the user is advantageously substantially prevented from potentially abusing the pharmaceutically active ingredient 12.
While several embodiments have been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary rather than limiting.
