Nasal dry powder delivery system for vaccines and other treatment agents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099024-B2
Application number	US-201314409379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2013
Priority date	Jun 28, 2012
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A nasal delivery device can include air-receiving section that has a first passageway therethrough to allow air to pass through the air-receiving section, a powder-reservoir receiving section sized to receive a powder reservoir, and a powder-delivery section that has a second passageway therethrough to allow aerosolized powder from the powder reservoir to pass through the powder-delivery section. The first passageway can have a first end and a second end, with the first end being further from the powder-reservoir receiving section and the second end being at or near the powder-reservoir receiving area. The second end of the air-receiving section can include a flattened region so that air exiting the air-receiving section has a generally flattened profile.

First claim

We claim:

1. A nasal delivery device comprising:
an air-receiving section that has a first passageway therethrough to allow air from an oral exhalation to pass through the air-receiving section;
a powder-reservoir receiving section sized to receive a powder reservoir; and
a powder-delivery section that has a second passageway therethrough to allow aerosolized powder from the powder reservoir to pass through the powder-delivery section, the second passageway having an inlet end and an exit end, with the inlet end being at or adjacent the powder-reservoir receiving section and the exit end being sized to be received in a nasal opening of a user, the inlet end defining an aperture out of the power reservoir,
wherein the first passageway has a first end and a second end, the first end being further from the powder-reservoir receiving section and the second end being at or near the powder-reservoir receiving section and defining an aperture into the power reservoir,
wherein the inlet end of the second passageway has a larger cross-sectional area than the flattened region of the second end of the first passageway,
wherein the second end of the air-receiving section comprises a flattened region so that air exiting the air-receiving section is directed into the powder reservoir, after the powder reservoir is received at the powder-receiving section, has a generally flattened profile, the flattened profile having a first cross-sectional dimension significantly longer than a second cross-sectional dimension, in a cross section taken along the length of the flattened region, forming an elongate slit-shaped passageway, the first cross-sectional dimension being perpendicular to the second cross-sectional dimension, and
wherein the flattened region of the air-receiving section and the inlet end of the powder-delivery section are positioned to engage with a same side of the powder reservoir.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the air-receiving section has a larger cross-sectional area than the second end.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first end of the air-receiving section has a generally circular cross-sectional area.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the flattened region is at least partly defined by a curved sidewall.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the curved sidewall generally matches a respective sidewall on a powder reservoir that is configured to be coupled to the powder-reservoir receiving section.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the powder-reservoir receiving section comprises at least one piercing member that is configured to engage and pierce a frangible cover of a powder reservoir.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one piercing member is sized to extend into the powder reservoir and generally push the frangible cover towards at least one side wall of the powder reservoir.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one piecing member comprises two piercing members located on opposing sides of the powder-reservoir receiving section.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the powder-reservoir receiving section comprises at least one attachment member for coupling a powder reservoir to the powder-reservoir receiving section.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one attachment member comprises grooves that are sized to engage with a respective lip on the powder reservoir in an irreversible manner.

11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an inlet tube coupled to the air-receiving section, the inlet tube having a first end sized to be placed in a mouth of a user to receive air from an exhalation of the user.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the inlet tube comprises a visual indicator of air passing therethrough.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the visual indicator comprises an expandable region of the inlet tube, the expandable region being expandable from a first, flattened configuration to a second, expanded configuration when air passes through the inlet tube.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the visual indicator comprises an elongate member fastened to the inlet tube, the elongate member being configured to change shape when air passes therethrough.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the elongate member unrolls when air passes therethrough.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the inlet end of the second passageway is at or adjacent the powder-reservoir receiving section and the exit end of the second passageway is sized to be received in a nasal opening of a user, the exit end being tapered to a narrower cross-sectional area at a tip portion.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second passageway comprises a recirculation zone, the recirculation zone having a larger cross-sectional area than the inlet end of the second passageway.

18. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a hinge member that extends along at least a portion of the air-receiving section, the powder-reservoir receiving section, and the powder- delivery section, the hinge member being located to allow the device to move between an open configuration for manufacture and a closed configuration for use.

19. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a powder reservoir configured to be coupled to the powder-reservoir receiving section.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the powder reservoir has a frangible cover and the frangible cover has one or more alignment markings to facilitate alignment of the powder reservoir when coupling it to one or more piercing members on the powder-reservoir receiving section.

21. The device of claim 19 , wherein the powder reservoir comprises a treatment agent.

22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the powder reservoir further comprises an excipient.

23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the excipient is selected and placed in the powder reservoir so that a greater portion of excipient lofts before the treatment agent.

24. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a flow restricting member that is moveable between a first configuration that allows air to flow in a direction away from an air source and towards the powder reservoir and a second configuration that restricts air from flowing towards the air source.

Assignees

• Us Health
• Creare Inc

Inventors

• Papania Mark J
• Barry James J
• Bagley Mark C
• Knaus Darin A
• Friets Eric M
• Moynihan Edward

Classifications

• A61M15/08 Primary

  Inhaling devices inserted into the nose · CPC title

• A61M15/0013

  with inhalation check valves · CPC title

• A61M2210/0618

  Nose · CPC title

• A61M2210/0625

  Mouth · CPC title

• A61M15/0098

  Activated by exhalation · CPC title