Abstract: A drug powder inhaler has a cover plate pivotably attached to a lid on an inhaler housing. A lever is pivotably attached to the cover plate. A blister pack disk is rotatably mounted on the housing under the cover plate. A powder duct in the housing extends from a staging chamber underneath one end of the lever to an aerosolizing chamber. An actuator in the housing is pressed to shear open a blister on the blister pack disk and thereby deliver the drug dose contents of the blister into the staging chamber. A switch senses pressure in the mouthpiece and switches on a motor spinning an impeller within the aerosolizing chamber, when inhalation is detected.

Abstract: A dry powder formulation for treatment of pulmonary conditions, via inhalation, includes an effective amount of formoterol or a salt or solvate thereof, in a dry powder form, an effective amount of fluticasone, in a dry powder form, and an excipient. A method for preparing a physically stable dry powder formulation for inhalation includes the steps of micronizing a first active polar drug, a second active non-polar drug, and a polar excipient. The second non-polar active drug is first blended with the excipient to form an intermediate mixture. The intermediate mixture is then blended with the first active polar drug. The increased separation of the polar drug and polar excipient stabilizes the formulation.

Abstract: A drug powder inhaler has a cover plate pivotably attached to a lid on an inhaler housing. A lever is pivotably attached to the cover plate. A blister pack disk is rotatably mounted on the housing under the cover plate. A powder duct in the housing extends from a staging chamber underneath one end of the lever to an aerosolizing chamber. An actuator in the housing is pressed to shear open a blister on the blister pack disk and thereby deliver the drug dose contents of the blister into the staging chamber. A switch senses pressure in the mouthpiece and switches on a motor spinning an impeller within the aerosolizing chamber, when inhalation is detected.

Abstract: In a powder formulation for use in a dry powder inhaler, a pharmaceutical acts as its own carrier, so that use of lactose or other excipients are not needed. The dry powder formulation has a single active pharmaceutical compound having two major populations in particle size distribution: microfine particles of the active pharmaceutical, of 1-10 microns in diameter, and larger carrier particles, also of the active pharmaceutical compound. The carrier particles provide a long acting, delayed onset, and optionally therapeutic effect via the GI tract, while the microfine particles provide a fast onset effect via the lung.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler has a dispersion chamber containing beads. A dose of dry powder is released into the chamber, or into an inlet tangentially joining into the chamber. As the patient inhales on a nosepiece or mouthpiece, air moves circularly through the dispersion chamber to drive the beads. The beads roll, bounce, and collide repeatedly with the drug particles on the chamber surfaces or on the beads. The smaller active drug particles are separated from the larger carrier particles and from each other, and a powder aerosol is created and inhaled by the patient. The beads are preferably lightweight, so that they can be rapidly accelerated and moved, even with nominal inspiration. The flow resistance of the inhaler is also reduced via the beads, allowing greater air flow and powder dispersion, without any increased effort by the patient.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler has a lid pivotally attached to an inhaler housing. A medicine containing cartridge is attached to the top of the housing and includes a cartridge ring with apertures for holding dry powdered medicine. A slide-groove assembly located on the underside of the lid advances the cartridge ring to a next aperture when a user first opens, then closes the lid. A venturi air passageway assembly is contained within the housing of the dry powdered inhaler. The venturi air passageway assembly includes a tapered inlet section, a throat section, and a tapered outlet section. A pressure switch is advantageously located within the housing for actuating the mixing process within the mixing chamber. During inhalation, the pressure switch contained within the housing actuates the motor driven impeller within the mixing chamber of the inhaler when the pressure within the venturi air passageway reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: A turbine powered inhaler has a propeller mounted on a turbine shaft within an aerosolizing chamber. An air pathway extends from an inlet, through the turbine to the aerosolizing chamber, and out through a mouth piece. Upon inhalation by a patient, air flowing through the air path rapidly spins up the turbine which directly drives the propeller within the aerosolizing chamber. Air and drug particles are mixed and de-agglomerated in the aerosolizing chamber via the spinning propeller, without the need for a motor and batteries.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler has a slider for incrementally advancing a blister disk, to provide successive doses of a dry powder pharmaceutical. A blister disk is rotatably supported on a spindle on a deck plate of the inhaler. A powder port, an advancing slot, and a lifter slot extend through the deck plate. A slider is attached to the deck plate and movable between open and closed positions. As the slider is opened, a litter moves up on a ramp on the slider to shear open a blister, so that the blister contents can be mixed with air and inhaled. As the slider is moved back to the closed position, the lifter is withdrawn and an advancing finger turns the disk to bring the next blister into position for opening to provide the next dose to the patient.

Abstract: A method for inhalation of a dry powder drug includes the steps of providing a dry powder drug composition having a drug particle size of from about 1-7 microns and a mass median aerodynamic diameter of the delivered aerosol of from about 3.5 to 5.5 microns. This composition is loaded into an inhaler which is generally flow rate independent, and with the inhaler having an inspiration flow resistance of about 0.12 to 0.21 (cmH.sub.2 O).sup.1/2 over the range of about 15-60 L/min. The patient inhales the drug composition from the inhaler with an inspiration flow rate of about 15-60 L/min, resulting in a delivery efficiency measured by respirable fraction greater than 20%.

Abstract: In a method for treating lung diseases, a drug formulation is prepared by combining micronized crystalline beclomethasone dipropionate and lactose. The drug formulation is placed into a dry powder inhaler which provides inhalable drug particles having a mass median diameter of about 0.5-5.8 microns. The inhaler is preferably largely flow rate independent. Drug and lactose particles are separated in the inhaler during inhalation, most desirably via a spinning element. Due to deep deposition, the drug particles persist in the lungs for a surprisingly long duration, increasing the therapeutic effect of each dose. The patient inhales the drug particles with an inspiratory flow rate of about 10-60 liters/minute, to produce a deep lung deposition of inhaled particles.

Abstract: A dry powder medicine inhaler has an impeller non-concentrically disposed in a mixing chamber. A motor spins the impeller at high speed. A plunger introduces a dose of powdered medicine into the chamber so that all powder particles are available for intermixing disaggregation and comminution. An aperture receives a first stream of air and passes it towards the mouthpiece for inhalation by the user. A wall has at least one aperture for diverting a portion of a main air stream into the aerosolizing chamber to mix with the particles to form a fine, low-density, low velocity, dry mist of powdered medicine for inhalation by the user.

Abstract: A powder storage and delivery system for a drug powder inhaler has a carrier disk with a blister shell sealed by a shear layer. A tab is adhered to the shear layer, underneath the blister shell. The carrier disk is placed into a dry powder inhaler. An actuator pushes against the tab, causing the shear layer to tear away, releasing the powder drug contents from the blister into the dry powder inhaler. A disk carrier has bursting blisters with a brittle blister shell sealed with a foil lid, and covered by a plate. An actuator moves against the plate, causing the plate to buckle and the blister shell to burst open, releasing powdered drug into the dry powder inhaler.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler has a lid pivotally attached to an inhaler housing. A medicine containing cartridge is attached to the top of the housing and includes a cartridge ring with apertures for holding dry powdered medicine. A slide-groove assembly located on the underside of the lid advances the cartridge ring to a next aperture when a user first opens, then closes the lid. A venturi air passageway assembly is contained within the housing of the dry powdered inhaler. The venturi air passageway assembly includes a tapered inlet section, a throat section, and a tapered outlet section. A pressure switch is advantageously located within the housing for actuating the mixing process within the mixing chamber. During inhalation, the pressure switch contained within the housing actuates the motor driven impeller within the mixing chamber of the inhaler when the pressure within the venturi air passageway reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: A drug powder inhaler has a cover plate pivotably attached to a lid on an inhaler housing. A lever is pivotably attached to the cover plate. A blister pack disk is rotatably mounted on the housing under the cover plate. A powder duct in the housing extends from a staging chamber underneath one end of the lever to an aerosolizing chamber. An actuator in the housing is pressed to shear open a blister on the blister pack disk and thereby deliver the drug dose contents of the blister into the staging chamber. A switch senses pressure in the mouthpiece and switches on a motor spinning an impeller within the aerosolizing chamber, when inhalation is detected.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the treatment of non-Ige-mediated inflammatory response or disease conditions are described.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler has a front section holding a unit dose cartridge over a mixing chamber. An impeller is rotatably mounted within the mixing chamber. A rear section of the inhaler includes a motor, a breath actuated switch, and pins for positioning the unit dose cartridge in the front section and driving a plunger through the unit dose cartridge, to deposit a powdered drug into the mixing chamber, as the front and rear sections are brought together. A filter wheel allows air to flow forward from the rear section into the mixing chamber, but substantially prevents stray drug powder from migrating rearwardly to the rear section. The front section is preferably disposable, while the rear section is advantageously reusable.