Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Patent
1996-08-19
1999-12-07
Mendez, Manuel
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
A61M 3100
Patent
active
059975016
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to drug delivery devices, and in particular to an intradermal drug delivery device for delivering a liquid drug to a subject via the subject's skin.
BACKGROUND ART
One type of transdermal drug delivery device is in the form of a patch applied to the subject's skin and containing drug penetrating the skin by osmosis and/or by a controlled mass transport phenomenon such as iontophoresis. Simple patches, however, provide no control, or limited control, of the rate of drug delivery, which depends on skin conditions, the nature (particularly molecular size) of the drug to be delivered, and the like. Iontophoretic devices are also not entirely satisfactory in their ability to deliver large molecules and to control the rate of delivery thereof. All such devices are limited by the barrier function of the skin.
Another transdermal drug delivery device is described in International Patent Publication WO 93/17754. In one embodiment this device comprises a housing containing a liquid reservoir and a drug delivery body carried by the housing and engageable with the subject's skin. The drug delivery body carries a plurality of hollow needles (of which there are preferably at least fifty) having an outer diameter of the order of 1 mm, which needles are designed to pierce the outer layer of dead cells (the stratum corneum) of the skin, thereby enhancing the penetration of the drug through the skin.
However, certain disadvantages are associated with this method of drug delivery. Firstly, there is a risk of considerable pain and traumatisation of the skin associated with the application of the particular array of needles. Secondly, the drug may leak out around the entry point of each needle as a result of the pressure being applied to assist the delivery of the drug. A film of liquid drug covering the area of application may cause irritation for subjects with sensitive skin; certain drugs may aggravate this irritation. The leakage also results in a lower efficiency of drug delivery. Thirdly, it can be difficult to ensure that the device is correctly applied with the tips of the needles penetrating the strateum corneum. The skin has a natural resilience and elasticity. The device is pressed onto the skin such that the entire area of the needle arrangement depresses the surface of the skin, even when considerable pressure is applied. For this reason, an extra degree of pain is associated with the correct application of the device due to the amount of force needed to properly pierce the stratum corneum with all of the needles.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided an intradermal drug delivery device for delivering at least one liquid drug to a subject via the subject's skin, comprising: a housing having a lower surface for application to the skin of the subject; means for affixing the housing in position with the lower surface in contact with the subject's skin; a drug reservoir within the housing; a single hollow needle associated with the drug reservoir extending through the lower surface, having an inner end communicating with the drug reservoir and an outer end projecting outwards a sufficient distance so as to penetrate through the epidermis and into the dermis when the housing is pressed against the skin; and means for actively discharging the drug from the reservoir to the subject's skin via the needle; the lower surface being shaped such that when it is pressed against the skin, a substantial proportion of the pressure applied to the skin is directed through the needle tip; and the needle having an outer diameter of 0.5 mm or less, preferably 0.2 mm or less.
Also, according to the present invention, there is provided an intradermal drug delivery device for the delivery of at least one drug to a subject via the subject's skin, comprising: a housing having a lower surface; a drug reservoir located within the housing; cover mounting means attached to the housing; a protective displaceable cover having an upper surface and a lower
REFERENCES:
patent: 2408323 (1946-09-01), Lockhart et al.
patent: 2576951 (1951-12-01), Lockhart et al.
patent: 3923060 (1975-12-01), Ellinwood et al.
patent: 4140117 (1979-02-01), Buckles et al.
patent: 4522622 (1985-06-01), Peery et al.
patent: 4627445 (1986-12-01), Garcia et al.
patent: 4637403 (1987-01-01), Garcia et al.
patent: 4684365 (1987-08-01), Reinicke
patent: 4697622 (1987-10-01), Swift et al.
patent: 4734092 (1988-03-01), Millerd
patent: 4753651 (1988-06-01), Eckenhoff
patent: 4886499 (1989-12-01), Cirelli et al.
patent: 4894054 (1990-01-01), Miskinyar
patent: 4902278 (1990-02-01), Maget et al.
patent: 5070886 (1991-12-01), Mitchen et al.
patent: 5079421 (1992-01-01), Knudson et al.
patent: 5090963 (1992-02-01), Gross et al.
patent: 5156591 (1992-10-01), Gross et al.
patent: 5279544 (1994-01-01), Gross et al.
patent: 5318557 (1994-06-01), Gross
patent: 5354264 (1994-10-01), Bae et al.
patent: 5390671 (1995-02-01), Lord et al.
patent: 5527287 (1996-06-01), Miskinyar
patent: 5545143 (1996-08-01), Fischell
patent: 5562613 (1996-10-01), Kaldany
Gross Joseph
Kelly John Gerard
Elan Corporation, plc
Maher Kathleen L.
Mendez Manuel
LandOfFree
Intradermal drug delivery device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Intradermal drug delivery device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Intradermal drug delivery device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-818520