# US 8,464,706 B2 · Drug delivery apparatus

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- Number: US 8,464,706 B2
- Document ID: US8464706B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/203,337
- Filed: 2001-02-12
- Published: 2003-11-06
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2000-02-11
- Assignees: Respironics Respiratory Drug Delivery (UK) Ltd
- Applicants: David Roe Crockford; John Stanley Harold Denyer
- Inventors: David Roe Crockford; John Stanley Harold Denyer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464706B2

## CPC

- A61M 11/06: of the injector type
- A61K 38/12: Cyclic peptides {, e.g. bacitracins; Polymyxins; Gramicidins S, C; Tyrocidins A, B or C (A61K38/043 - A61K38/046 take precedence)}
- A61M 11/002: {by flow deviation causing inertial separation of transported particles}
- A61M 11/005: {using ultrasonics (spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06)}
- A61M 15/0018: {with exhalation check valves}
- A61M 15/008: {Electronic counters}
- A61M 15/0086: {Inhalation chambers}
- A61M 15/0088: {with variable volume}
- A61P 11/00: Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
- A61P 11/06: Antiasthmatics
- A61P 11/12: Mucolytics
- A61P 31/04: Antibacterial agents
- A61M 15/009: {using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans (pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08)}
- A61M 2016/0021: {with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor}
- A61M 2016/0024: {with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch}
- A61M 2016/0036: {in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase}
- A61M 2202/064: Powder
- A61M 2205/43: making noise when used correctly
- A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers
- A61M 2205/581: by audible feedback
- A61M 2205/582: by tactile feedback
- A61M 2205/583: by visual feedback
- A61M 2206/14: Static flow deviators in tubes disturbing laminar flow in tubes, e.g. archimedes screws
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS

## Abstract

A drug delivery apparatus comprising: a drug delivery device for selectively delivering drug-laden air or air not laden with the drug; a sensor for monitoring the breathing pattern of a patient; a controller arranged to control the drug delivery device to deliver drug-laden air in pulses which begin when the patient is monitored by the sensor to begin inhalation, the pulses having a duration which is adjusted by the controller on the basis of the monitored breathing pattern of the patient; a feedback indicator which indicates to a patient whether the monitored breathing pattern is effective for inhaling drug-laden air or not a dose calculator which calculates the dose delivered to the patient; and an indicator which indicates to the patient when a desired dose has been delivered, whereby the apparatus is configured to deliver the full amount of the desired dose in at least 80% of treatments.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a drug delivery device for selectively delivering drug-laden air or air not laden with the drug;
a sensor for monitoring the breathing pattern of a patient;
a controller arranged to control the drug delivery device to deliver drug-laden air in pulses which begin when the patient is monitored by the sensor to begin inhalation;
a feedback indicator which indicates to a patient whether the monitored breathing pattern is effective for inhaling drug-laden air or not;
a dose calculator which calculates the dose delivered to the patient, wherein the dose calculator includes a formulation input through which the formulation of the drug being delivered is entered for use in the calculations made by the dose calculator; and
an indicator which indicates to the patient when a desired dose has been delivered, wherein the controller includes a pulse length generator which determines the duration of each pulse on the basis of the monitored breathing pattern of the patient, and wherein the pulse length generator includes a breathing pattern analyser which analyses the breathing pattern of a patient in order to determine the time at which a patient begins to inhale an end volume, the end volume being the volume of the upper airways of the patient which, at the end of the inhalation, contains the end volume of air which does not reach the lungs.

### Claim 2

An apparatus comprising:
a drug delivery device for selectively delivering drug-laden air or air not laden with the drug, wherein the drug delivery device is a spacer including a receptacle defining a holding chamber in which the air within the holding chamber is loaded with the drug prior to treatment;
a sensor for monitoring the breathing pattern of a patient;
a controller arranged to control the drug delivery device to deliver drug-laden air in pulses which begin when the patient is monitored by the sensor to begin inhalation;
a feedback indicator which indicates to a patient whether the monitored breathing pattern is effective for inhaling drug-laden air or not;
a dose calculator which calculates the dose delivered to the patient; and
an indicator which indicates to the patient when a desired dose has been delivered, wherein the controller includes a pulse length generator which determines the duration of each pulse on the basis of the monitored breathing pattern of the patient, and wherein the pulse length generator includes a breathing pattern analyser which analyses the breathing pattern of a patient in order to determine the time at which a patient begins to inhale an end volume, the end volume being the volume of the upper airways of the patient which, at the end of the inhalation, contains the end volume of air which does not reach the lungs.