Claims for Patent: 4,673,405

Summary for Patent: 4,673,405

Title:	Osmotic system with instant drug availability
Abstract:	An osmotic device is disclosed for delivering a beneficial agent. The device comprises a wall surrounding a compartment containing drug, a passageway in the wall connecting the exterior of the device with the compartment, and drug in the wall. The device delivers the drug from the compartment and the wall.
Inventor(s):	Guittard; George V. (Cupertino, CA), Deters; Joseph C. (Mountain View, CA), Theeuwes; Felix (Los Altos, CA), Cortese; Richard (San Jose, CA)
Assignee:	Alza Corporation (Palo Alto, CA)
Application Number:	06/817,211
Patent Claims:	1. An osmotic device for delivering a beneficial agent to a fluid environment of use, the osmotic device comprising: (a) a wall at least in part comprising a substantially inert composition which surrounds and forms a compartment containing a beneficial agent formulation, said substantially inert composition being permeable to the passage of an exterior fluid present in the environment of use and substantially impermeable to the passage of the beneficial agent in the compartment; (b) a beneficial agent in the wall, said agent being selected from the group of beneficial agents that act on at least one of peripheral nerves, adrenergic receptors, cholinergic receptors, skeletal muscles, smooth muscles, cardiovascular system, blood circulatory system, synoptic sites, neuroeffector sites, endocrine system, hormone system, immunological system, reproductive system, skeletal system, autocoid system, alimentary system and excretory system and being released from the wall when the osmotic device is in operation in the fluid environment of use; and (c) at least one passageway in the wall which is formed when the device is in the fluid environment of use and the fluid contacts and thus releases the beneficial agent in the wall, said formed passageway communicating with the compartment and the exterior of the device for dispensing the beneficial agent from the compartment when the device is in the fluid environment of use. 2. The osmotic device for delivering a beneficial agent to a fluid environment of use according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises more than one passageway in the wall. 3. The osmotic device for delivering a beneficial agent to a fluid environment of use according to claim 1, wherein the beneficial agent in the wall is released to the environment of use in a pulsed amount. 4. The osmotic device for delivering a beneficial agent to a fluid environment of use according to claim 1, wherein the beneficial agent is released from the wall in a short period of time and from the compartment over a prolonged period of time.