Abstract: An aerosol preparation assembly includes an entrainment chamber defining an entrainment volume. The entrainment chamber includes a gas inlet port, an aerosol inlet port and an outlet port. The entrainment chamber is configured such that a velocity of a flow of a gas within the entrainment volume is less than a velocity of the flow of the gas within the gas inlet port. The entrainment chamber is configured such that at least a portion of inlet aerosol is entrained into the flow of the gas within the entrainment volume to produce an entrained aerosol flow at the outlet port. The particle selection chamber is configured to receive the entrained aerosol flow and produce an outlet aerosol flow. The particle selection chamber and nozzle are collectively configured such that a volumetric median diameter of the outlet aerosol flow is less than a volumetric median diameter of the inlet aerosol.

Abstract: An aerosol preparation assembly includes an entrainment chamber defining an entrainment volume. The entrainment chamber includes a gas inlet port, an aerosol inlet port and an outlet port. The entrainment chamber is configured such that a velocity of a flow of a gas within the entrainment volume is less than a velocity of the flow of the gas within the gas inlet port. The entrainment chamber is configured such that at least a portion of inlet aerosol is entrained into the flow of the gas within the entrainment volume to produce an entrained aerosol flow at the outlet port. The particle selection chamber is configured to receive the entrained aerosol flow and produce an outlet aerosol flow. The particle selection chamber and nozzle are collectively configured such that a volumetric median diameter of the outlet aerosol flow is less than a volumetric median diameter of the inlet aerosol.

Abstract: An aerosol preparation assembly includes an entrainment chamber defining an entrainment volume. The entrainment chamber includes a gas inlet port, an aerosol inlet port and an outlet port. The entrainment chamber is configured such that a velocity of a flow of a gas within the entrainment volume is less than a velocity of the flow of the gas within the gas inlet port. The entrainment chamber is configured such that at least a portion of inlet aerosol is entrained into the flow of the gas within the entrainment volume to produce an entrained aerosol flow at the outlet port. The particle selection chamber is configured to receive the entrained aerosol flow and produce an outlet aerosol flow. The particle selection chamber and nozzle are collectively configured such that a volumetric median diameter of the outlet aerosol flow is less than a volumetric median diameter of the inlet aerosol.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a nasal cannula assembly, which includes a face piece. The face piece includes a plenum portion and a nasal interface portion. The plenum portion is configured to be coupled to a supply line and defines a flow path configured to receive an aerosol flow from the supply line. The nasal interface portion includes a first delivery protrusion and a second delivery protrusion. The first delivery protrusion is configured to convey a first portion of the aerosol flow to a first nostril, and the second delivery protrusion is configured to deliver a second portion of the aerosol flow to a second nostril. The plenum portion includes a sidewall having a curved surface configured to redirect the second portion of the aerosol flow towards the second delivery protrusion. The sidewall is configured to isolate the flow path from a volume downstream from the second delivery protrusion.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers include an elongate body and a disk holding a plurality of doses of a dry powder inhalable product. The inhaler also includes a cover member that is pivotably attached to the elongate body so that it remains attached to the body during normal operational periods of use and moves to a first closed position to overlie the inhalation port at the bottom end portion of the body during periods of non-use and moves to a second open position away from the inhalation port during periods of use to allow a user to access the inhalation port.

Abstract: Dry powder aerosol generators and related methods are provided. The dry powder aerosol generator includes a dispersion chamber having an internal cavity therein capable of receiving a dry powdered drug. The dispersion chamber includes a dosing port defined therein that is in fluid communication with the internal cavity. A dosing chamber for receiving a test subject is attachable to the dosing port, such that, when an airflow is created within the internal cavity, any dry powdered drug contained therein may fluidize and travel into the dosing chamber to provide opportunity for inhalation of the dry powdered drug by a test subject contained within the dosing chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating an aerosol of a therapeutic agent and methods of using the same are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a heating element having a surface and a composition coating at least a portion of the heating element surface. The composition comprises a carrier and a therapeutic agent, wherein when the heating element surface is heated to at least the vaporization point of the carrier, the carrier vaporizes and releases the therapeutic agent from the composition as an aerosol. The heating element can be a coiled filament. The therapeutic agent can be a small molecule, a polynucleotide, a polypeptide, or a recombinant virus. The apparatus can be incorporated into a delivery device, such as a metered dose inhaler or an exposure chamber.

Abstract: Methods of modulating a characteristic of a pharmaceutical compound spray by acoustic measurement and control of the pharmaceutical spray are disclosed. The methods include analyzing a selected characteristic of a pharmaceutical compound spray utilizing acoustic measurement to develop corresponding acoustic data. The methods further include controlling the selected characteristic by applying acoustic excitation to the pharmaceutical compound spray in accordance with the acoustic data developed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably process dry powders using a non-linear vibratory signal individualized or customized to a target dry powder undergoing processing to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers include an elongate body having opposing first and second outer primary surfaces with a cavity therebetween and having opposing top and bottom end portions and a disk holding a plurality of doses of a dry powder inhalable product located in the cavity of the elongate body. The inhaler also includes an inhalation port, the inhalation port configured to be in fluid communication with at least one of the discrete meted doses during use and a cover member that is pivotably attached to the elongate body so that it remains attached to the body during normal operational periods of use and moves to a first closed position to overlie the inhalation port at the bottom end portion of the body during periods of non-use and moves to a second open position away from the inhalation port during periods of use to allow a user to access the inhalation port.

Abstract: The present invention includes dry powder inhalers for dispensing and/or holding inhalant formulated dry powder substances and associated fabrication and dispensing methods that can employ an amplitude modulated non-linear signal comprising a plurality of superimposed frequencies, the frequencies corresponding to a priori flow characteristic frequencies of the dry powder being dispensed. The present invention also includes pocket-sized inhalers with an elastomeric flexible pivoting cover.

Abstract: Systems for flowably dispensing dry powders include means for generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation whereby first meted quantities of the first dry powder are serially dispensed to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.

Abstract: Dry powder aerosol generators and related methods are provided. The dry powder aerosol generator includes a dispersion chamber having an internal cavity therein capable of receiving a dry powdered drug. The dispersion chamber includes a dosing port defined therein that is in fluid communication with the internal cavity. A dosing chamber for receiving a test subject is attachable to the dosing port, such that, when an airflow is created within the internal cavity, any dry powdered drug contained therein may fluidize and travel into the dosing chamber to provide opportunity for inhalation of the dry powdered drug by a test subject contained within the dosing chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating an aerosol of a therapeutic agent and methods of using the same are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a heating element having a surface and a composition coating at least a portion of the heating element surface. The composition comprises a carrier and a therapeutic agent, wherein when the heating element surface is heated to at least the vaporization point of the carrier, the carrier vaporizes and releases the therapeutic agent from the composition as an aerosol. The heating element can be a coiled filament. The therapeutic agent can be a small molecule, a polynucleotide, a polypeptide, or a recombinant virus. The apparatus can be incorporated into a delivery device, such as a metered dose inhaler or an exposure chamber.

Abstract: Methods of modulating a characteristic of a pharmaceutical compound spray by acoustic measurement and control of the pharmaceutical spray are disclosed. The methods include analyzing a selected characteristic of a pharmaceutical compound spray utilizing acoustic measurement to develop corresponding acoustic data. The methods further include controlling the selected characteristic by applying acoustic excitation to the pharmaceutical compound spray in accordance with the acoustic data developed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably dispense meted amounts of dry powders using a flexing piezoelectric layer to transmit a vibratory signal to the dry powder to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel. The apparatus for dispensing dry powders can include: (a) an elongate flow channel having a width, length, and depth, the flow channel having axially spaced apart inlet and outlet ports, wherein the elongate flow channel is configured to extend in an angular orientation of between about 10–75 degrees relative to the axial direction of flow; (b) a flexible piezoelectric layer configured to overlie the flow channel so that, in operation, the piezoelectric layer is able to flex upwardly away from the lowermost portion of the underlying flow channel; and (c) a signal generator operatively associated with the piezoelectric layer, wherein, in operation, the signal generator is configured to output a signal for flexing the piezoelectric layer in the elongate flow channel.

Abstract: Methods for flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path can include: (a) generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; (b) applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and (c) dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder through the dispensing port to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.

Abstract: Dry powder inhalers (FIG. 1) with integrated active energy patient assist dispersal systems are configured with control systems which provide adjustable energy output responsive to the user's inspiratory capabilities and/or the flowability of the dry powder being administered. The multi-dose dry drug package (FIG. 2) a piezoelectric polymer substrate which flexes to deform and provide mechanical oscillation in a selected region of the package corresponding to the dry powder drug which is dispersed during inhalation by a user. Control system (FIG. 12) employs fuzzy logic to relate in response to a user's inspiratory effort.

Abstract: The present invention includes dry powder inhalers and associated multi-dose dry powder packages for holding inhalant formulated dry powder substances and associated fabrication and dispensing methods. The multi-dose package can include a platform body comprising at least one thin piezoelectric polymer material layer defining at least a portion of a plurality of spatially separated discrete elongate dry powder channels having an associated length, width and height; and a metallic material attached to selected portions of the piezoelectric polymer material including each of the regions corresponding to the elongate dry powder channels to, in operation, define active energy releasing vibratory channels. In operation, the elongate channels can be selectively individually activated to vibrate upon exposure to an electrical input.

Abstract: Methods for flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path can include: (a) generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; (b) applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and (c) dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder through the dispensing port to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.