Quadrant Technologies Limited

Dura Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Other

Charles River Laboratories, Inc.

Dura Pharmaceuticals, Icn.

Bernard Greenspan

Jeffrey Chen

Michael W Ligotke

Andrew W Gieschen

Robert F Eisele

Charles F Ganem

Gary H Ward

Karen Davies

Clyde Witham

Thomas Ryan Jackson

Cynthia Licalsi

Eliot N Pierce

David K Woodruff

Hsu Chi Yeh

Simon J Rothenberg

Charles Ganem

Thomas F Jackson

A dry powder inhaler has a dispersion chamber containing beads. A dose of dry powder is released into the chamber, or into an inlet tangentially joining into the chamber. As the patient inhales on a nosepiece or mouthpiece, air moves circularly through the dispersion chamber to drive the beads. The beads roll, bounce, and collide repeatedly with the drug particles on the chamber surfaces or on the beads. The smaller active drug particles are separated from larger carrier particles and from each other, and a powder aerosol is created and inhaled by the patient. The beads are preferably lightweight, so that they can be rapidly accelerated and moved, even with nominal inspiration. The flow resistance of the inhaler is also reduced via the beads, allowing greater airflow and powder dispersion, without any increased effort by the patient.

Dry powder inhaler

An apparatus is disclosed for removing moisture from electronic devices such as hearing aids, using a desiccant material. The desiccant material is regenerated in place with heat from an embedded heater when the apparatus is open to the atmosphere. Drying of the hearing aids takes place when the hearing aids are placed in the apparatus and it is closed. Heat is not applied during drying to avoid potential damage to the hearing aids or other electronic device.

Hearing aid dryer

Apparatus and methods for delivery of air-borne materials from pulsatile delivery devices by passing the emissions from such devices and air in a coaxial manner through a suitable mixing chamber. Preferred apparatus include a chamber defining an axis of air flow, a plurality of pulsatile delivery devices, an actuator in communication with the devices for selective actuation thereof, and a device for introducing air at a first end of the chamber and for flowing that air substantially along the axis. The pulsatile delivery devices are positioned at the first end of the chamber such that actuation of the devices emits an air-borne substance substantially along the axis of air flow.

Apparatus for delivering air-borne substances

A dry powder inhaler has a dispersion chamber containing beads. A dose of dry powder is released into the chamber, or into an inlet tangentially joining into the chamber. As the patient inhales on a nosepiece or mouthpiece, air moves circularly through the dispersion chamber to drive the beads. The beads roll, bounce, and collide repeatedly with the drug particles on the chamber surfaces or on the beads. The smaller active drug particles are separated from the larger carrier particles and from each other, and a powder aerosol is created and inhaled by the patient. The beads are preferably lightweight, so that they can be rapidly accelerated and moved, even with nominal inspiration. The flow resistance of the inhaler is also reduced via the beads, allowing greater air flow and powder dispersion, without any increased effort by the patient.

In a method for creating an immune response, a vaccine is prepared in the form of a dry powder. The powder particles have an aerodynamic particle size range from 1-100 microns. A dose of powder is loaded into a dry powder inhaler. The dose is inhaled with an inspiratory flow rate of less than 60 liters per minute. A mucosal immune response is created via particles of the vaccine material depositing on the upper respiratory tract. A systemic immune response is created via particles of the vaccine material depositing into the deep lung. The vaccine material is size reduced by e.g., jet milling, into the desired range, yet vaccine potency is retained.

Inhaled vaccines

A dry powder inhaler has a lid pivotally attached to an inhaler housing. A medicine containing cartridge is attached to the top of the housing and includes a cartridge ring with apertures for holding dry powdered medicine. A slide-groove assembly located on the underside of the lid advances the cartridge ring to a next aperture when a user first opens, then closes the lid. A venturi air passageway assembly is contained within the housing of the dry powdered inhaler. The venturi air passageway assembly includes a tapered inlet section, a throat section, and a tapered outlet section. A pressure switch is advantageously located within the housing for actuating the mixing process within the mixing chamber. During inhalation, the pressure switch contained within the housing actuates the motor driven impeller within the mixing chamber of the inhaler when the pressure within the venturi air passageway reaches a predetermined level. The pressure at which the pressure switch closes corresponds to a specifically calibrated inhalation flow rate.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Bernard Greenspan