Alza Corporation

Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Intarcia Therapeutics, Inc.

Capnia, Incorporated

Biologix Inc.

Scott Jay Gilbert

Charles F Albert

J Richard Gyory

John R Peery

Anthony D Wondka

Gary A Lattin

Michael R Barry

James E Brown

Pedro E De La Serna

Anish Bhatnagar

Douglas J Littlejohn

Balazs I Bodai

Kyle E Lemons

Richard L Fellows

Pedro De La Sema

Michael D Grandon

Pedro E De La Sema

Michael D Delapp

Pedro De La Serna

Methods and systems are described to obtain and analyze a gas sample from a desired section of the breath of a person, while accounting for erratic, episodic or otherwise challenging breathing patterns that may otherwise make the capturing of a gas sample from the desired section of breath difficult. These techniques may provide more reliable, accurate and adequate samples of gas such as end-tidal gas, and ultimately an accurate analysis of the sample captured.

Breath selection for analysis

A method for delivering a drug into tissue includes the steps of: providing a drug delivery device having at least one nozzle and a drug contained in a portion of the device; identifying a site for delivery of the drug in or on tissue; placing a portion of the device on or near the site; and delivering the drug into the tissue at the site through at least one nozzle of the device under microjet propulsion.

Method for delivering drugs to tissue under microjet propulsion

A method for making a jet injection drug delivery device wherein the drug delivery device has at least one drug reservoir and at least one injection nozzle includes the steps of: identifying a drug desired to be delivered; identifying a volume of the drug desired to be delivered; establishing a reservoir diameter for the at least one drug reservoir; establishing a nozzle diameter for the at least one injection nozzle; identifying a tissue model for delivery of the drug; identifying a penetration depth in the tissue model for the delivery of the drug; and injecting the drug into the tissue model under variable pressure until the desired penetration depth is achieved. The method also includes identifying an optimal pressure range for the drug delivery device that achieves the desired penetration depth.

Method for making a needle-free jet injection drug delivery device

The present invention provides a pneumatic injector that includes a pressurized gas source, an actuator, a driver, and a dispenser. The dispenser of the injector includes a reservoir for containing a desired amount of a chosen medicament and a needle, such as a hypodermic needle, suitable for subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intra-articular delivery of the chosen medicament. The actuator actuates the transmission of pressurized gas from the pressurized gas source to the driver, and as pressurized gas is delivered to the driver, the driver exerts at least an injection force. The injection force is of sufficient magnitude to expel a chosen medicament through the needle of the dispenser within a desired amount of time. Advantageously, the design of the injector of the present invention is extremely flexible, allowing the injector to be designed to deliver a wide range of medicaments in virtually any human or veterinary context calling for the injection of the subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intra-articular injection of medicament.

Pneumatic powered autoinjector

The present invention provides a reusable spring driven autoinjector. The drive mechanism of the autoinjector of the present invention includes one or more drive springs formed of a shape memory alloy. Therefore, by alternating the shape memory alloy forming the one or more drive springs between austenite phase before an injection and a martensite phase after injection, the reusable autoinjector of the present invention is capable of providing an injection force that is higher than the compressive force required to cock the drive mechanism in preparation for a subsequent injection operation.

Reusable, spring driven autoinjector

An implantable osmotically driven delivery system having a dynamic, two-way valve and a self-adjusting, variable geometry fluid flow channel. As pressure within the agent delivery system increases, the fluid channel narrows, thereby restricting flow. At exceptionally high pressures, the valve can be designed to close altogether at the orifice or delivery end, or it can provide a minimal leak path so that a maximum fluid flow is never exceeded. At zero or very low pressures, the valve will close completely at the beneficial agent reservoir end, isolating the beneficial agent formulation from external fluid infiltration and thereby eliminating diffusion of external fluid into the beneficial agent formulation.

Osmotic delivery device having a two-way valve and a dynamically self-adjusting flow channel

An osmotic delivery system for controlled delivery of a beneficial agent includes an implantable capsule containing a beneficial agent and an osmotic engine that swells on contact with water, thereby causing the release of the beneficial agent over time. The osmotic delivery system has a membrane material that allows a controlled amount of fluid to enter from an exterior of the capsule, while preventing the compositions within the capsule from passing out of the capsule. The osmotic delivery system is designed to meet at least the operating pressures of 1000 psi. The membrane material is cast, calendered or extruded followed by machining (i.e., die-cutting, stamping or otherwise cutting to shape) to provide a uniform nonribbed membrane material. The capsule also includes a membrane material-retaining means that is positioned at a fluid uptake end to retain the membrane material within the capsule, even under periods of high pressure.

Osmotic implant with membrane and membrane retention means

The present invention includes an automatic injection device that reliably provides automatic needle retraction even when manufactured with part and assembly tolerances typical of low-cost and high-volume manufacturing processes. The injector of the present invention includes a body, a syringe cartridge, a drive mechanism, and a bias mechanism. The drive mechanism includes an energy source, a drive member, and a compound plunger with a releasable coupling. Significantly, the compound plunger included in the drive mechanism is designed to ensure needle retraction occurs after the automatic injection device has delivered the desired dose of medicament. Moreover, the design of the compound plunger included in the injector of the present invention can compensate for part and assembly tolerances typical of low-cost, high volume manufacturing processes, enabling the fabrication of a low cost automatic injection device providing reliable automatic needle retraction.

Injection device providing automatic needle retraction

The present invention provides a syringe cartridge that is sufficiently robust to be used in autoinjectors that generate injection forces sufficient to deliver viscous medicaments. The syringe cartridge of the present invention includes a syringe, a bias mechanism, and a casing. The casing of the syringe cartridge of the present invention includes a collapsible portion and a fixed portion. Advantageously, the collapsible portion of the casing collapses within the fixed portion of the casing as the syringe is driven through its stroke within the syringe cartridge. As the collapsible portion collapses within the fixed portion, the length of the syringe cartridge is effectively reduced, which, in turn, allows the use of a shorter plunger and thereby facilitates the construction of a more compact autoinjector.

Collapsible syringe cartridge

A device (10) for the electrically assisted delivery of a therapeutic agent is described. The device (10) has rigid zones or regions (12, 14) which are physically connected by a flexible means (16) such as a web. The flexible means (16) permits the rigid zones (12, 14) to move independently with respect to each other while remaining physically connected or coupled. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid zones are physically and electronically coupled by the flexible means. In another embodiment, the device (500) comprises one or more rigid zones, the skin side of the rigid zone having a radius of curvature (520) which approximates that of the body site to which the device (500) is to be attached. A method of increasing the body surface conformability of an electrotransport device (50, 150, 170) is described. The method involves the step of intentionally placing rigid subcomponents (58, 36, 37) of the device in physically separate zones (52, 54; 152, 154, 156, 158; 172, 174, 176, 178) within the device. The rigid zones (52, 54; 152, 154, 156, 158; 172, 174, 176, 178) are separate and are coupled by flexible connector means (56, 62; 160, 162). In this manner, a conformable mosaic of rigid zones which comprises the device is created.

Electrotransport system having flexible connector means

Electrotransport drug delivery system

A portable apparatus for measuring the electrochemical characteristics of a sample is disclosed. A disposable cartridge, including a plurality of interconnected flow chambers, houses a printed circuit board substrate upon which reference and indicating electrodes are formed. The electrodes are employed in the presence of chemical reagents to aid in the electrochemical determination of a sample undergoing analysis. A thermal sensing element is in close proximity to the electrodes to permit the correction of the measurement for variations in temperature. After a pH value has been determined, the used cartridge can be mechanically ejected thus eliminating user exposure to the blood sample being measured. In this way, the pH of a blood sample can be determined quickly, effectively, inexpensively and with a minimum amount of sample and reagent preparation.

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Scott Jay Gilbert