Process for delivery of viscous drug therapies
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsEric Scribben, Steven M. Risser, Amy M. Heintz, Jeffrey L. Ellis, John D. Clay, Timothy M. Blum
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Abstract
Core annular flow is used to enable the subcutaneous delivery of a viscous fluid such as a protein therapeutic formulation. The high-viscosity fluid is surrounded by a low-viscosity fluid, and the low-viscosity fluid lubricates the passage of the high-viscosity fluid. This allows the use of protein formulations that have a higher concentration and a higher viscosity at comparatively reduced injection forces and reduced injection times. Several different embodiments of injection devices that provide core annular flow are described herein.
Claims8
An injection device for creating core annular flow, comprising:
- a barrel formed by a sidewall and having a lower volume and an upper volume;
- a core container located within the lower volume, the core container comprising a sidewall and a floor with a central hole;
- a plunger rod extending through the barrel upper volume and contacting a core plunger in the core container;
- a needle hub at an end of the barrel opposite the plunger rod, the needle hub having an internal passage and an annular passage;
- and
- a hollow pin having at least one side port at an upper tip, the at least one side port being covered by the floor of the core container, the hollow pin regulating flow from the core container to the internal passage of the needle hub;
- wherein an annular compartment is formed between the sidewall of the barrel, the sidewall of the core container, the plunger rod, and the needle hub;
- and
- wherein high-viscosity fluid can flow from the core container through the hollow pin and the internal passage, and wherein low-viscosity fluid can flow from the annular compartment through the annular passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.