Nektar Therapeutics

Bgp Products Operations Gmbh

Novartis Ag

Steve Paboojian

Carlos A Schuler

Andrew Clark

Edward William Vernon-Harcourt

Mark Glusker

Jon David Tuckwell

Michael John Dunkley

Frank W Ingle

Adrian Edward Smith

William W Alston

Don S Minami

Jonathan David Tuckwell

Kevin S Nason

Mark J Glusker

Dennis Rasmussen

Derrick Tuttle

Brian R S Ward

Aneesh Bakshi

Andrea Rourke

Derrick J Tuttle

An aerosolization apparatus comprises a housing defining a chamber having one or more air inlets. The chamber is sized to receive a capsule which contains an aerosolizable pharmaceutical formulation. The aerosolization apparatus further comprises a puncturing mechanism within the housing. The puncturing mechanism comprises an alignment guide and a puncture member, wherein the alignment guide comprises a surface adapted to contact the capsule while the puncture member is advanced into the capsule to create an opening in the capsule. At least a portion of the surface is sloped relative to the longitudinal axis of the capsule. Alternatively or additionally, the surface may comprise one or more protrusions. An end section is associated with the housing. The end section is sized and shaped to be received in a user's mouth or nose so that the user may inhale through the end section to inhale aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation that has exited the capsule through the opening created in the capsule. The alignment guide allows for more consistent puncturing of the capsule and a longer lifetime of the apparatus.

Aerosolization apparatus with capsule puncture alignment guide

The present invention is directed to methods and devices for delivering an active agent formulation to the lung of a human patient. The active agent formulation may be in dry powder form, it may be nebulized, or it may be in admixture with a propellant. The active agent formulation is delivered to a patient at a low inspiratory flow rate for an initial period of time to increase bioavailability of the active agent.

Flow resistance modulated aerosolized active agent delivery

A method for aerosolizing a powder utilizes a receptacle having a cavity containing a powder. An access end of an extraction tube is inserted into the cavity, and an inlet opening is formed in the receptacle. A pressurized gas is flowed through the inlet opening, through the cavity and through the extraction tube to move the powder in the cavity into the extraction tube where the powder is entrained in the gas to form an aerosol.

Systems and methods for extracting powders from receptacles

Systems and methods are provided for aerosolizing a pharmaceutical formulation. According to one method, respiratory gases are prevented from flowing to the lungs when attempting to inhale. Then, respiratory gases are abruptly permitted to flow to the lungs. The flow of respiratory gases may then be used to extract a pharmaceutical formulation from a receptacle and to place the pharmaceutical formulation within the flow of respiratory gases to form an aerosol.

Systems and methods for aerosolizing pharmaceutical formulations

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Steve Paboojian