Abstract: This invention concerns polymeric orthoesters having a repeating mer comprising a hydrocarbon radical and an orthoester functionality of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a monovalent radical, R.sub.2 is a hydrocarbon radical, a is 2 to 3, and n is at least 10. The polymers are useful for making articles of manufacture and as coatings for beneficial agents.

Abstract: A device for dispensing a microcide which consists of a first polymeric material housing a second polymeric material which second material depolymerizes when the device is in the environment of use to form an active microcide. The microcide controls the presence of micro-organisms in the environment over a prolonged period of time.

Abstract: An osmotic device for releasing a useful agent at different release rate patterns from the device in a selected environment is disclosed. The device is comprised of a wall surrounding and forming a compartment as a means for containing a useful agent and having a passageway for releasing the agent. The wall is comprised in at least a part of a material permeable to an external fluid and impermeable to the agent. A layer of a pattern rate controlling material that erodes in a selected environment for changing the release rate pattern of the device is carried on the semipermeable wall distant from the compartment. The agent is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid, or the agent has limited solubility and is admixed with an osmotically effective solute soluble in the fluid that exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid.

Abstract: A removable cartridge that is used in combination with a liquid drug infusion apparatus that comprises a housing that defines an inlet and outlet and has a recess for receiving the cartridge, a confined flow passageway extending between the inlet and outlet, and a conduit extending from the outlet to the infusion site. The removable cartridge includes: a hollow shell that fits within the recess, is adapted to contain the liquid drug, and has an outlet that is adapted to communicate with the inlet of the housing and the drug contained within the shell; pressure means within the shell that maintains a constant, positive pressure on the drug; and lock means on the shell that engages the housing to reversibly lock the cartridge within the recess.

Abstract: The invention concerns orthoester and orthocarbonate polymers having a repeating mer comprising a hydrocarbon radical and a symmetrical dioxycarbon unit of the general formula: ##STR1## WHEREIN R.sub.1 is a multivalent hydrocarbon radical, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are hydrocarbon radicals with at least one of R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 bonded to the dioxycarbon through an oxygen linkage, and which polymers are synthesized by reacting a polyol with an orthoester or orthocarbonate. The polymers are useful for making articles of manufacture, including devices and coatings for delivering beneficial agents.

Abstract: This invention concerns polymeric orthoesters having a repeating mer comprising a hydrocarbon radical and an orthoester functionality of the general formula: ##STR1## WHEREIN R.sub.1 is a monovalent radical, R.sub.2 is a hydrocarbon radica, a is 2 to 3, and n is at least 10. The polymers are useful for making articles of manufacture and as coatings for beneficial agents.

Abstract: An osmotic device for releasing a useful agent at different release rate patterns from the device in a selected environment is disclosed. The device is comprised of a wall surrounding and forming a compartment as a means for containing a useful agent and having a passageway for releasing the agent. The wall is comprised in at least a part of a material permeable to an external fluid and impermeable to the agent. A layer of a pattern rate controlling material that erodes in a selected environment for changing the release rate pattern of the device is carried on the semipermeable wall distant from the compartment. The agent is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid, or the agent has limited solubility and is admixed with an osmotically effective solute soluble in the fluid that exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid.

Abstract: The invention concerns orthoester and orthocarbonate polymers having a repeating mer comprising a hydrocarbon radical and a symmetrical dioxycarbon unit of the general formula: ##STR1## WHEREIN R.sub.1 is a multivalent hydrocarbon radical, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are hydrocarbon radicals with at least one of R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 bonded to the dioxycarbon through an oxygen linkage, and which polymers are synthesized by reacting a polyol with an orthoester or orthocarbonate. The polymers are useful for making articles of manufacture, including devices and coatings for delivering beneficial agents.

Abstract: Therapeutic systems in the form of drug-containing bags or packets made from films of segmented copolyesters of butylene terephthalate and polyalkylene ether terephthalate are disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for treating the burned surface of an animal by administering to said surface a contact composition comprising a hydrophobic, bioerodible polymer containing an agent selected from the group consisting of antibacterial, antibiotic, antifungal, proteolytic enzyme and mixtures thereof, which composition when placed in contact with the burned surface maintains homeostasis including prevention of tissue dehydration and thermal loss, and as the polymer bioerodes over time, releases agent to produce a continuous chemoprophylatic or chemotherapeutic effect.

Abstract: This invention concerns polymeric orthoesters having a repeating mer comprising a hydrocarbon radical and an orthoester functionality of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a monovalent radical, R.sub.2 is a hydrocarbon radical, a is 2 to 3, and n is at least 10. The polymers are useful for making articles of manufacture and as coatings for beneficial agents.

Abstract: An osmotic system for delivering a beneficial agent to an environment of use is disclosed. The system comprises a laminate surrounding a compartment and has a passageway through the laminate for releasing agent from the compartment. The laminate comprises at least two laminae; one consisting of a semipermeable, polymeric material that is permeable to the passage of an external fluid and maintains its physical and chemical integrity in the environment of use, and one consisting of a semipermeable polymeric material that is permeable to the passage of fluid, substantially impermeable to the passage of agent and maintains its physical and chemical integrity in the presence of agent.

Abstract: An ophthalmological bioerodible dosage form for ophthalmic drugs is disclosed. The dosage form comprises particles of 10 to 300 microns made of drug dispersed within a drug release rate controlling material which bioerodes in the environment of the eye.

Abstract: An osmotic system for delivering a beneficial agent is disclosed. The system comprises a wall surrounding a compartment and has a passageway through the wall for delivering agent from the compartment. The wall is formed of a material permeable to the passage of an external fluid and impermeable to the passage of agent. The compartment contains an agent that is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid, or the compartment contains an agent that has limited solubility in the fluid and exhibits a limited osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid. The compartment also contains means for increasing the amount of agent delivered from the system. The means comprises a film surrounding an osmagent with the film formed of a material permeable to fluid, impermeable to osmagent and movable from an initial to an expanded state.

Abstract: An osmotic system for delivering an agent is disclosed. The system comprises a wall surrounding a compartment and has a passageway through the wall for delivering agent from the compartment. The wall is formed of a material permeable to the passage of an external fluid and impermeable to the passage of agent. The compartment contains an agent that is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid, or the compartment contains an agent that has limited solubility in the fluid and exhibits a limited osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid. The compartment also contains a suspending agent and a delivery member for increasing the amount of agent delivered from the system. The delivery member comprises a semipermeable film surrounding an osmotically effective compound and it is able to increase in volume over time.

Abstract: A package for an intrauterine device-intrauterine device inserter combination and a "pillow pack" carton for the package are disclosed. The package consists of three elements: (1) a thermoformed plastic tray having an elongated, relatively deep cavity for holding the combination, a convexly curved marginal ledge about the cavity, an end wall extending downwardly from each end of the ledge, and a flange extending outwardly from the bottom of each end wall; (2) a cover that fits over the cavity and has the same curvature as the marginal ledge; and (3) an adhesive coating on the inner side of the cover by which the cover is attached to the ledge over the cavity.

Abstract: An osmotic system for delivering a beneficial agent is disclosed. The system comprises a wall surrounding an agent compartment and an osmagent compartment separated by a film and has a passageway through the wall for delivering agent from its compartment. The wall is formed of a material permeable to the passage of an external fluid and impermeable to the passage of agent and osmagent. The film is formed of a material impermeable to the passage of agent and osmagent and movable from an original to an expanded state. The agent compartment contains an agent that is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid, or the compartment contains an agent that has limited solubility in the fluid and exhibits a limited osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against fluid. The osmagent compartment contains an osmagent that exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the wall against the fluid.

Abstract: An osmotic device for releasing a useful agent at different release rate patterns from the device in a selected environment is disclosed. The device is comprised of a wall surrounding and forming a compartment as a means for containing a useful agent and having a passageway for releasing the agent. The wall is comprised in at least a part of a material permeable to an external fluid and impermeable to the agent. A layer of a pattern rate controlling material that erodes in a selected environment for changing the release rate pattern of the device is carried on the semipermeable wall distant from the compartment. The agent is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid or the agent has limited solubility and is admixed with an osmotically effective solute soluble in the fluid that exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for longitudinally encapsulating a bundle of aligned fibers within an elastomeric tube of smaller diameter than the normal diameter of the bundle in which: the tube is confined within a tubular inner channel of an openable casing, the diameter of the casing being at least as large as the normal diameter of the bundle; the ends of the tube are slipped over nipples at each end of the channel; air is pressured into the tube via one of the nipples thereby expanding the tube outwardly against the channel wall; the bundle of fibers is drawn through one of the nipples into the expanded tube; and the tube is depressurized to permit it to contract radially about the bundle of fibers.

Abstract: An osmotic device for releasing a useful agent at different release rate patterns from the device in a selected environment is disclosed. The device is comprised of a wall surrounding and forming a compartment as a means for containing a useful agent and having a passageway for releasing the agent. The wall is comprised in at least a part of a material permeable to an external fluid and impermeable to the agent. A layer of pattern rate controlling material that erodes in a selected environment for changing the release rate pattern of the device is carried on the semipermeable wall distant from the compartment. The agent is soluble in the fluid and exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid or the agent has limited solubility and is admixed with an osmotically effective solute soluble in the fluid that exhibits an osmotic pressure gradient across the semipermeable wall against the fluid.