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Method and apparatus for dispensing inhalator medicamentRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Respiratory Method Or Device, Means For Mixing Treating Agent With Respiratory Gas, Particulate Treating Agent Carried By Breathed GasMethod and apparatus for dispensing inhalator medicament description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070181124, Method and apparatus for dispensing inhalator medicament. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/267,013, filed Oct. 8, 2002, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/344,544, filed Oct. 19, 2001. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a drug delivery system for a combination of medicaments for use in inhalators for the treatment of respiratory, systemic and topical diseases, for gene therapy, for vaccine administration, and for administration of antigens and adjuvants (i.e. birth control). More particularly, the present invention relates to a drug delivery system for the use of a combination of therapeutic agents for the treatment of respiratory diseases, e.g., asthma of whatever type or genesis, including intrinsic (non-allergic) and extrinsic (allergic) chronic obstructive pulmonary, airways or lung disease (COPD, COAD or COLD), emphysema, bronchitis, acute lung injury (ALI), pneumoconiosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), cystic fibrosis (CF), allergic rhinitis and exacerbations of airways hyperactivity consequent to other drug therapy. Other combinations of medicaments for use in inhalators may be used to treat systemic or topical disorders including lung and other cancers, infectious diseases including influenza, diabetes, immuno-compromised diseases including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), bone degenerative diseases including osteoporosis, neurological degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, pain management, cardiovascular disease, obesity, hepatitis, dermatological diseases, arthritis, hypertension and neurological disorders including depression. [0004] 2. State of the Art [0005] The majority of commercially available inhalators are used in the treatment of respiratory disorders, e.g., asthma. Asthma is a chronic disease that affects millions of people in the United States, and an much larger number around the world. Asthma is typically initiated by the inhalation of antigens (sensitive patients) but, in some patients, there is a poorly defined mechanism(s) resulting in asthma and which is not associated with an antigen. Asthma is a condition characterized by inflammation and bronchial airway constriction that obstructs the patient's ability to breathe, resulting in wheezing, coughing and tightness of the chest. [0006] There are many different medications used for treating asthma. While some patients respond sufficiently well to one type of medication or another, it is common for moderate to severe asthmatics to use more than one medication. Typically, a corticosteroid, e.g., beclomethasone or its derivatives and solvates, is used to minimize asthma symptoms by decreasing the airway hyper-responsiveness and inflammation while a bronchodilator, e.g., albuterol or its salt, is used to increase lung function and reduce the incidence of bronchial constriction. However, due to the short-acting relief provided by the bronchodilator, i.e., the bronchodilator must be administered frequently, e.g., 4-6 times per day, which may result in poor patient compliance. Furthermore, the bronchodilator product is less suitable for nocturnal asthma since it may not be effective through the duration of normal sleep. [0007] Traditionally, the bronchodilator and steroidal product have been provided in separate medicament inhalators. For example, an inhalator may be used for the corticosteroid, while a separate inhalator is used for the bronchodilator. The use of two inhalers, however, has been found to be disadvantageous. Specifically, a patient using two inhalators increases the likelihood that the patient will fail to comply with the treatment protocol or may forget to take one of the medications. [0008] Recently, more potent and/or longer-acting corticosteroids, e.g., fluticasone propionate, and beta2-agonist bronchodilator drugs, e.g., salmeterol and or its salt, have been developed. This has led to improved patient compliance, which can reduce emergency room visits and reduce the risks associated with nocturnal asthma. [0009] In 1993, Glaxo Group Ltd. was issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,305 for a pharmaceutical composition comprising salmeterol (a long-acting beta2-agonist) and fluticasone propionate (steroid) as a combined preparation for the treatment of respiratory disorders, including the simultaneous, sequential or separate administration by inhalation via either a metered dose inhaler (MDI) or dry powder inhaler (DPI). This combination therapy had markedly greater efficiency and duration of bronchodilator action than previously known combinations. In addition, it permitted the establishment of a twice-daily dosing regimen with consequent substantial benefits in, for example, the treatment of asthma, particularly nocturnal asthma. [0010] In 1997, Astra Aktiebolag was issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,860 for a combination product consisting of formoterol (long-acting beta2-agonist) and budesonide (steroid) for the treatment of mild as well as severe asthma and other respiratory disorders, including delivery via an MDI, DPI or nebulization. Additional patents covering combination products for the treatment of respiratory disease include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,972,919, 6,030,604, and 6,183,782. [0011] Recently, these combinations of the steroid and bronchodilator drugs have been commercialized in dry powder inhalers, i.e., Advair.RTM. in the Diskus.RTM. DPI, and Symbicort.RTM. in the Turbuhaler.RTM. DPI. It has been found that the use of the two medicaments together improved patient treatment. Additionally, requiring a patient to use a single inhalator increases the likelihood of patient compliance as the patient need only remember a more limited number of medicament applications. [0012] It is evident from the above discussion that there is often a synergistic effect of a combination of drugs when the two drugs are administered together. It is likewise evident from the above discussion that the use of a single inhalator increases the likelihood of patient compliance as the patient need only remember a more limited number of medicament applications. [0013] While combining medications is advantageous in some ways, it also raises concerns. Many medicaments are disposed on a carrier, such as lactose. While the carrier can be carefully selected to a particular medicament, the presence of multiple medicaments or multiple carriers may render the medicaments and/or carriers unstable. This, in turn, places limitations on the combinations of medicaments which can be used together. By eliminating the interaction of medicaments during storage, however, a broad range of medicaments can be administered substantially simultaneously. [0014] It is therefore an object of the present invention to address the delivery of a combination of medicaments for the treatment of respiratory, systemic and topical diseases from dry powder inhalators (DPIs), such as the DPI device in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,538 and other devices. SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION [0015] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of inhalation drug delivery for a combination of two or more medicaments. [0016] It is another object of the present invention to provide such a method for treating respiratory and systemic diseases. [0017] It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for supplying two medicaments with a single inhalation. [0018] The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a medicament packaging system and an inhalator for dispensing or dispersing the medicament combination. Each medicament formulation is prepared, filled, and sealed into separate container elements on the medicament package. The medicament container elements are arranged in the package so that only a container element of each medicament formulation is available for inhalation at one time when the package is integrated into the inhalator. The container elements are selected from the group such as, but not limited to, blisters, capsules, vials, ampules, tubes, pouches, bubble packs, or bottles all with appropriate closures. The dry powder medicament formulations combined as described above may be delivered in a single inspired breath either simultaneously or sequentially wherein the delivery system is comprised of a dry powder inhalator, with or without a "breath triggering" feature for providing control of medicament introduction into a patient's inspired air stream. However, because the medicaments are stored separately and are not mixed until the point of inhalation of shortly before, the risk of deterioration of one of the medicaments or carriers is virtually eliminated. [0019] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, one or more medicaments are selected from the group of brochodilators or prophylactic agents including, but not limited to, albuterol, albuterol sulfate, fenoterol hydrobromide, formoterol flimarate, metaproterenol sulfate, ipratropium bromide, tiotropium bromide, and sodium cromoglycate. [0020] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, one or more medicaments are selected from the group of steroids, androgens and glucocorticosteroids such as, but not limited to budesonide, beclomethasone dipropionate, fluticasone propionate, mometasone furoate, flunisolide, triamcinalone acetonide, dehydroepiandrosterone and it's derivatives, and ciclesonide. [0021] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, one or more medicaments is selected from the group of compounds used to treat respiratory disorders including, but not limited to, synthetic or natural lung surfactant, alpha-1 antitrypsin, domase alfa, poractant alfa, oligonucleotides, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, mast cell stabilizers, leukotriene antagonists, antihistamines, anti-IL4 and IL5 antagonists, neurokinin antagonists, anti-IgE monoclonal antibodies, VLA-4 antagonists, anti-L5 monoclonal antibodies, endothelin antagonists, tachkinin antagonists, elastase antagonists, integrin antagonists, retinoid agonists and adenosine agonists. Continue reading about Method and apparatus for dispensing inhalator medicament... 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