The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1993
Filed:
Dec. 18, 1991
David E Edgren, El Granada, CA (US);
Gurdish K Bhatti, Fremont, CA (US);
ALZA Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An osmotic device (10) for delivering a beneficial drug, such as an anti-microbial drug, into the mouth of a human patient is disclosed. The device (10) has a size and shape adapting it to be comfortably retained in the mouth for extended periods of time. The device comprises a thin semipermeable membrane wall (12) surrounding a compartment (13) housing a beneficial agent (14) that has at least some degree of solubility in aqueous biological fluids, e.g., saliva, and a fibrous support material (15) composed of hydrophilic water-insoluble fibers. A passageway (17) in the wall (12) connects the agent 14) with the exterior of the device (10). The wall (12) is permeable to the passage of aqueous biological fluid but substantially impermeable to the passage of the fibrous support material (15). The fibrous support material (15), once hydrated, provides a rigid support for the thin semipermeable wall (12) and prevents the device (10) from prematurely releasing the beneficial agent (14) even when the device (10) is subjected to patient sucking.