Aerosolization apparatus for inhalation profile-independent drug delivery

摘要

A powder aerosolization apparatus comprises a housing comprising an outlet adapted to be inserted into a user's mouth and one or more bypass air openings. A receptacle support within the housing supports a receptacle containing a powder pharmaceutical formulation. A puncturing mechanism within the housing creates in the receptacle one or more inlet openings and one or more powder outflow openings, wherein the powder outflow openings have a total area of from 0.2 mm² to 4.0 mm². Upon a user's inhalation through the outlet, air flows through the one or more bypass air openings and through the receptacle to aerosolize the powder pharmaceutical formulation in the receptacle. In one version, the relative flow parameters between the flow through the one or more bypass openings and the one or more powder outflow openings are selected so that flow of aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation does not occur until a predetermined inhalation flow rate is achieved.