Abstract: A process for producing a blister strip is provided. The blister strip contains two or more different formulations of powdered medicament for inhalation. The blister strip has a base in which blister cavities are formed. A first set of cavities each contain a first medicament formulation and are covered by a first lid material. A second set of cavities each contain a second medicament formulation and are covered by a second, separate lid material.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, devices and compositions for use in inhalation therapy of neonates, infants or children younger than 12 years, e.g. from 1 to 8 years, suffering from a disease, optionally a pulmonary disease, such as asthma, by which high amounts of inhaled drugs are directed to the small airways of the peripheral lungs of neonates, infants and children using slow, controlled flow rates and pre-set inhalation volumes. A novel inhalation device tailored for use in neonates, infants and children and adapted to provide said slow, controlled flow rates with a simplified jet nebuliser set-up is disclosed, together with kits comprising the device.

Abstract: An inhaler is provided, comprising a housing which contains a blister strip having a plurality of blisters which contain powdered medicament for inhalation; a mouthpiece mounted on the housing through which the medicament is inhaled by a user; an actuator; a blister piercing member; an indexing wheel for sequentially moving each blister into alignment with the blister piercing member when the user operates the actuator; an actuator gear, mounted for rotation about a first axis, which is driven by the actuator and which comprises an actuator gear element; and a drive gear for driving the indexing wheel, mounted for rotation about a second axis, which engages with the actuator gear element. The inhaler is characterized in that the gear ratio between the actuator gear element and the drive gear varies as they rotate during operation of the actuator.

Abstract: The invention provides an inhaler with a monitor having one or more sensors, wherein the monitor and the inhaler comprise a mounting mechanism that is configurable so that the monitor can be either detachably or permanently attached to the inhaler. The mounting mechanism may comprise a configurable male mounting member having a primary clip member and a secondary clip member, and a corresponding female mounting member which is a slot. The design provides both the removable and the fixed options, and only a simple additional step is necessary during assembly to select the desired configuration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unit dose dispenser in the form of a blister containing a dry powder for inhalation. The dispenser has a lid, a base with a bowl that contains the powder and a channel that contains an airway. The airway has a mouthpiece and a body portion comprising one or more air inlet and air outlet passages. The body portion forms an interference fit in the channel. The air inlet(s) and the air outlet(s) abut, and are closed by, the base and/or the lid. Part of the lid and the base of the dispenser is detachable. When the detachable part is removed, the air inlet(s) and the air outlet(s) are opened, so that when a user inhales on the mouthpiece, air flows through the air inlet(s) and aerosolizes the powder, which then flows through the mouthpiece to the user's lungs.

Abstract: The invention provides a dosing system for an inhalation device, comprising a filling chamber (10); a reservoir chamber (31) which supplies liquid (3) to an aerosol generator (301); and a plunger (20) which includes an overflow chamber (25) and which is pivotable about a hinge (50). The filling chamber has an inner wall (12) which is higher on the side adjacent to the hinge than on the opposite side. When the filling chamber is filled with liquid and the plunger is pivoted into the filling chamber, part of the liquid is displaced over the lower side (17) of the inner wall into the reservoir chamber and some or all of the remaining liquid is displaced into the overflow chamber. The invention also provides an inhalation device comprising the dosing system and a method for dosing liquid to the inhalation device.

Abstract: An adherence monitor is provided for a dry powder inhaler that contains a blister strip having a plurality of blisters. The monitor has one or more optical sensors for reading non-numerical indicia on the blister strip. The optical sensor has a light guide which has a distal end remote from the sensor that is convex. The inhaler has an aperture into which the light guide is inserted when the monitor is mounted onto the inhaler.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler (10) having a chamber (26) divided into first and second blister compartments (28, 30) for storing unused and used portions (34, 36) of a blister strip (12) is provided. A moveable dividing wall (32) separates the first and second blister compartments. One or more arcuate supporting surfaces (38, 40, 42) are disposed in either the first and/or the second blister compartments and these surfaces support the used or unused blister strip during successive actuations of the inhaler. Use of the arcuate supporting surfaces facilities compact coils of unused and used portions of blister strip, thereby reducing the size of the chamber required for the inhaler.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inhalation device which has two pumps, one providing a nebulizer flow and the other providing a support flow. The nebulizer flow passes through a nebulizing nozzle to generate an aerosol flow from a liquid. The aerosol flow and the support flow are combined to provide a total flow through a mouthpiece to a patient. The device can be configured specifically for pediatric use by removing the support flow pump. The invention also provides a method of providing a flow of aerosol and / or air to a patient using the device, in particular a device which provides a defined volume of air and aerosol as a bolus at a defined flow rate on each inhalation.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler which contains a blister pack, such as a blister strip, is provided. The blister pack has a plurality of blisters, and a blister, or group of blisters, provides a dose of powdered medicament for inhalation. The blister pack has non-numerical indicia which encode an individual, unique number that is associated with each dose. The inhaler is adapted for mounting a monitor. The monitor comprises one or more sensors, such as optical sensors, for reading the non-numerical indicia on the blister pack.

Abstract: The invention provides a unit dose dispenser in the form of a blister containing a dry powder for inhalation. The blister comprises a base material in which a cavity is formed comprising a bowl that contains the powder and a channel that opens into the bowl. The channel contains a tube that has separate sections that provide an air outlet and an air inlet. The air outlet is further from the bowl than the air inlet. The upper side of the tube is flat and level with the top of the channel A lid material, such as a foil or foil laminate, seals the cavity. The blister has a detachable portion which, when removed, exposes the air inlet and the air outlet. A process for making the unit dose dispensers is also provided, which is based on the conventional process for manufacturing blister strips for dry powder inhalers.

Abstract: A process for producing a blister strip is provided. The blister strip contains two or more different formulations of powdered medicament for inhalation. The blister strip has a base in which blister cavities are formed. A first set of cavities each contain a first medicament formulation and are covered by a first lid material. A second set of cavities each contain a second medicament formulation and are covered by a second, separate lid material.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler is provided. The inhaler is adapted for detachably mounting a compliance monitor having a pressure sensor. The inhaler has a housing comprising first and second shell parts, and a mouthpiece which defines an inhalation passage. An external surface of the housing has an orifice. A conduit from the orifice to the inhalation passage is formed by a channel in one of the shell parts and a corresponding channel cover in the other shell part. When the compliance monitor is mounted on the housing, the pressure sensor is adjacent to the orifice and is in fluid communication with the inhalation passage via the conduit.

Abstract: A dry powder inhaler and an adherence and/or compliance monitor for use with the inhaler are provided. The inhaler has a cover which is pivotable relative to its housing in order to expose a mouthpiece. The monitor has one or more sensors. The inhaler and the monitor have formations for mounting the monitor onto the inhaler. The inhaler and monitor are designed so that when the monitor is mounted onto the housing of the inhaler and the cover is opened, the cover at least partially covers and protects the monitor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inhaler comprising a housing which contains a blister strip having a plurality of blisters which contain powdered medicament for inhalation; a mouthpiece through which the medicament is inhaled by a user; an indexing wheel for indexing the blister strip; an opening mechanism for opening the blisters; an actuator which is movable between a first position and a second position in order to operate the indexing wheel and the opening mechanism; and a coupling mechanism for coupling the actuator to the indexing wheel so that the indexing wheel rotates together with the actuator during part of the motion of the actuator; characterized in that the coupling mechanism comprises a shuttle that rotates on the same axis as, and translates axially relative to, the indexing wheel.

Abstract: An inhaler is provided, comprising a housing which contains a blister strip having a plurality of blisters which contain powdered medicament for inhalation; a mouthpiece mounted on the housing through which the medicament is inhaled by a user; an actuator; a blister piercing member; an indexing wheel for sequentially moving each blister into alignment with the blister piercing member when the user operates the actuator; an actuator gear, mounted for rotation about a first axis, which is driven by the actuator and which comprises an actuator gear element; and a drive gear for driving the indexing wheel, mounted for rotation about a second axis, which engages with the actuator gear element. The inhaler is characterized in that the gear ratio between the actuator gear element and the drive gear varies as they rotate during operation of the actuator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inhaler comprising a housing which contains a blister strip having a plurality of blisters which contain powdered medicament for inhalation, a mouthpiece mounted to the housing through which the medicament is inhaled by a user, an indexing and opening mechanism for indexing the blister strip and for opening the blisters which is operated by an actuator, wherein the blister strip is indexed by forward motion of the actuator from a first position to a second position, such as by opening a cover, and is also indexed in the same direction by reverse motion of the actuator from the second position to the first position, such as by closing the cover.