Kindeva Drug Delivery, L.p.

Hovione Technology Ltd.

Wayland Additive Limited

William T Richardson

Christopher B J Groombridge

David J Cottenden

Robert May

John P Bunting

Peter D Hodson

Peter Villax

Christopher G Blatchford

Ian Laidler

Simon L Calcutt

Romain U G Guion

João Ventura

Iain G McDERMENT

Ian McDerment

Martyn Hussey

Jakob Van Den Berg

Matthew Harvey

Christopher BJ Groombridge

Romain UG Guion

A powder bed fusion apparatus arranged to irradiate a powder bed using a charged particle beam is provided, the apparatus comprising a neutralising particle source operable to provide neutralising particles of an opposite charge to the charged particle beam, and a neutralising particle focusing system arranged to weakly focus a beam of the neutralising particles from the neutralising particle source on to the powder bed in the vicinity of the irradiation position of the charged particle beam on the powder, such that the neutralising particles neutralise charging of the powder bed by the charged particle beam. A method of additive manufacture using a powder bed fusion apparatus is also provided, wherein a part is formed as a series of layers, each layer being formed by scanning the charged particle beam over a layer of the powder bed to melt the powder according to a predetermined pattern.

Additive manufacturing using powder bed fusion

A medicinal inhaler. The inhaler can include a housing, and an air flow path defined by at least partially the housing and including an air inlet and an air outlet. The inhaler can further include a flow governor and a breath-actuated dose release firing system. The flow governor can be positioned in the air flow path between the air inlet and the air outlet to govern air flow in the air flow path to a governing volumetric flow rate. The breath-actuated dose release firing system can be located in the housing and can be configured to release a dose of medicament at a firing volumetric flow rate less than the governing volumetric flow rate.

Medicinal inhalers

A refill assembly () for use in a medicinal inhaler (). The refill assembly includes a patient port (), and an adapter () configured to cause a dose of medicament to be released. The adapter is movable between a first position in which a dose of medicament is not released and a second position in which a dose of medicament is released. The refill assembly further includes a lockout mechanism positioned to lock the adapter in its first position, and a lockout override actuator (). The lockout override actuator is movable between a first position in which the lockout mechanism is in a first locked state, and a second position in which the lockout mechanism is in a second unlocked state and the adapter is movable from its first position to its second position even when the refill assembly is not coupled to a reusable assembly.

Medicinal inhaler refill assemblies comprising a lockout override mechanism

A dry powder inhaler () for pulmonary or nasal use, employing capsules () containing a dose of powder for inhalation, comprising four components: a capsule tray (), a cover () and a mouthpiece () and an inhaler body (). Air is drawn by the patient via the mouthpiece () which is in communication with the capsule () and travels via air paths through the device () and through the capsule () thereby dispersing and entraining the dose of powder. The capsule () is cut by cutting means () located on the body (). The inhaler body (), the mouthpiece () and the cover () are provided with hinge segments () which when assembled together and the mouthpiece () is locked into the body (), form a single hinge () and which allows the cover () to freely pivot around the body () and the mouthpiece ().

Hinged capsule inhaler

A refill assembly () for use in a medicinal inhaler (). The refill assembly includes a patient port (), and an adapter () configured to cause a dose of medicament to be released. The adapter is movable between a first position in which a dose of medicament is not released and a second position in which a dose of medicament is released. The refill assembly further includes a lockout member () movable between (i) a first (locked) position in which the adapter is not movable from its first position to its second position, and (ii) a second (unlocked) position in which the adapter is movable from its first position to its second position.

Medicinal inhaler refill assemblies comprising a lockout mechanism

An auto-reset dose release firing system () and a method of using same. The system can include an a stored energy device (); a first plunger () movable between first, second, and third positions, the first plunger configured to be operatively coupled to a medicament canister (); and a second plunger () movable between first and second positions; the first and second plunger being movable with respect to one another and shaped to define an evacuable chamber () therebetween. The first plunger and the second plunger can move together from their respective first positions to their respective second positions, due to a reduced pressure in the chamber, to cause a dose release valve () to fire. After firing, air can be allowed to move into the chamber to allow the first plunger to move with respect to the second plunger to its third position to allow the dose release valve to reset.

Auto-reset dose release firing systems, medicinal inhalers comprising same, and methods of using same

A dose release firing system () for use in a medicinal inhaler (). The firing system can include a plunger (), and a stored energy device () configured to drive the plunger from a first position to a second position. The firing system can further include a guideway () and a projection () dimensioned to be received in the guideway, the guideway or the projection being fixedly coupled to the plunger. At least a portion of the guideway can have a helical shape, including a first portion with a first helix angle, and a second portion with a second helix angle, the second helix angle being less than the first helix angle. The projection and the guideway can be movable with respect to one another to cause the projection to be cammed along the guideway when the stored energy device drives the plunger to move from the first position to the second position.

Dose release firing systems and medicinal inhalers comprising same

Growing community of inventors

Royston, United Kingdom

William T Richardson