An inhaler for delivery of a medicament by inhalation is disclosed. The inhaler comprises the following components. An inhaler body for receiving a canister having a dispensing valve. A drive mechanism comprising a biasing means such as a spring and a moving component such as a yoke, the drive mechanism for driving the canister, when received in the inhaler body, from a rest position in which the valve is closed to at least an actuating position in which the valve is open. The drive mechanism drives the canister when the biasing means is released from a loaded configuration to move the moving component from a first position to a second position. A resetting mechanism, for example a mouthpiece cap arrangement for pushing upwardly on the yoke, for resetting the drive mechanism by moving the moving component from the second position to the first position and reloading the biasing means to the loaded configuration. A return mechanism for returning the canister from the actuating position to the rest position, wherein the return mechanism comprises a damping system, the damping system configured to enable the canister to automatically return from the actuating position to the rest position within a predetermined time period measured from the release of the biasing means from the loaded configuration. A method of operation of an inhaler is also disclosed.

A single-dose cartridge inhaler comprises a dosing chamber configured to contain dry powder medicament, a transducer and a controller electrically coupled to the transducer. The medicament delivery device is capable of delivering a therapeutically effective dose of dry powder medicament in response to between 2-20 tidal inhalations, the dose preferably having a mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of about 6 microns or less and a fine particle fraction of at least 30%.

A system for treating or providing prophylaxus against a pulmonary infection is disclosed comprising: a) a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition, and b) an inhalation delivery device. A method for providing prophylaxis against a pulmonary infection in a patient and a method of reducing the loss of antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition upon nebulization comprising administering an aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition is also disclosed.

To disperse inhaling powders, a powder is positioned in a passage of a device for dispersing powders, wherein the passage has one or more exits, one or more inlets and one or more obstructions to block the movement or to contain the powder within the device before use. A breaching pressure differential between the one or more exits and the one or more inlets of the passage is applied to breach the one or more obstructions, which fully or partially aerosolizes the powder, thus releasing a fully or partially aerosolized powder from the device.

Disclosed herein are diketopiperazine microparticles having a specific surface area of less than about 67 m.sup.2/g. The diketopiperazine microparticle can be fumaryl diketopiperazine and can comprise a drug such as insulin.

A drive mechanism for a medicinal inhaler, the inhaler comprising: a patient port; a canister actuable by the drive mechanism to deliver a dose of medicament to the patient port, the drive mechanism comprising: a follower which moves between a first position in which the mechanism is primed for use and a second position in which the follower engages the canister to deliver a dose of medicament to the patient port, the follower being carried on a rocker plate which pivots as the follower moves between its first and second position, wherein the rocker plate engages a switch when the follower is in its second position to indicate that a dose of medicament has been delivered to the patient port.

An inhaler comprises first and second user-operable controllers configured to independently meter first and second amounts of a physiologically active substance and a pressurized gas, respectively, to the user in the dose. In preferred embodiments a regulator is configured to release a dose to the mouthpiece. Triggering can be activated by one or more of the user drawing a breath through the mouthpiece, and the user operating a trigger

An improved medicant delivery system is disclosed wherein the carrier for the medicant is a fluid that can be atomized or vaporized by exposure to heat. The system provides for repeatable dose of medicant, can be stored in any orientation, and/or has an ability to maximize energy efficiency.

Liquid formulations of insulin that contain physically and chemically stable insulin but do not contain preservatives or stabilizers are provided. The formulations also lack surfactants. The formulations are useful for various modes of delivery including pulmonary delivery.

The invention refers to an inhalation device for powdered drugs to be received by a patient by an inhalation-caused air stream, comprising at least one powder reservoir, metering means for repeatedly metering a powder dose from the reservoir, a transportation mechanism for moving said metering means from a filling position for receiving a powder dose into an emptying position for releasing said powder dose into a powder channel, at least one activating device for manual operation by the patient being operatively connected to said transportation mechanism such that upon operation a single powder dose is being metered, said activating device comprising a dosage key (5) acting on said transportation mechanism when actuated by the patient. According to the invention, said transportation mechanism furthermore comprises a dosage lever (6) acting on said metering means, said dosage lever (6) being locked in the inhalation position of said metering means after said dosage key (5) has been properly pressed down by the patient. The dosage lever (6) in the inhalation position engages a trigger member and is releasable by actuation of the trigger member. The trigger member comprises at least one cam surface and the dosage lever (6) engages the cam surface tangentially in said locked inhalation position.