Intradermal drug delivery device and method for intradermal delivery of drugs

摘要

An intradermal drug delivery device for delivering a liquid drug to a subject via the subject's skin includes a housing having a lower surface provided with an adhesive coating for adhering the housing to the subject's skin. An expansible-contractible chamber within the housing defines a reservoir which is expanded upon being filled with the drug and contracted to dispense the drug. A hollow needle extends through the lower surface of the housing and has an inner end which communicates with the reservoir and an outer end which projects outwardly of the housing a short distance to penetrate through the epidermis and into the dermis of the subject's skin when the housing is adhered thereto. The device permits delivery of drugs of relatively large molecular size and at slow rates which can be precisely controlled. A method of delivering a liquid drug intradermally includes adhering the intradermal delivery device to the skin of the subject and activating the means for actively discharging the at least one drug from the reservoir to the subject's skin via the needle.