Systems and methods for delivering a therapeutic agent

Abstract

Devices, methods, and kits for delivering a therapeutic agent to a patient are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a reservoir for containing a fluid, a first actuator, a transfer structure, and a second actuator. The first actuator has a first configuration and a second configuration and is configured to exert a first force on the reservoir when moved from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a first volume of fluid within the reservoir is communicated out of the fluid reservoir. The transfer structure is disposed between the first actuator and the reservoir and has a surface configured to engage the reservoir such that the first force exerted by the first actuator is distributed across a surface of the reservoir engaged by the transfer structure. The second actuator has a first configuration and a second configuration and is configured to exert a second force on the reservoir when the second actuator is moved from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a second volume of fluid within the reservoir is communication out of the fluid reservoir.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a reservoir for containing a fluid;   a first actuator having a first configuration and a second configuration, the first actuator configured to exert a first force on the reservoir when the first actuator moves from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a first volume of fluid within the reservoir is communicated out of the fluid reservoir;   a transfer structure disposed between the first actuator and the reservoir, the transfer structure having a surface configured to engage the reservoir such that the first force exerted by the first actuator is distributed across a surface of the reservoir engaged by the transfer structure; and   a second actuator having a first configuration and a second configuration, the second actuator configured to exert a second force on the reservoir when the second actuator moves from its first configuration to its second configuration such that a second volume of fluid within the reservoir is communicated out of the fluid reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the reservoir is a first surface, the second actuator configured to exert the second force on a second surface of the reservoir, the second surface being different than the first surface. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface of the reservoir is a first surface and the transfer structure is a first transfer structure, further comprising:
 a second transfer structure disposed between the second actuator and the reservoir, the second transfer structure having a surface configured to engage the reservoir such that the first force exerted upon actuation of the first actuator is distributed across a second surface of the reservoir engaged by the second transfer structure.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator includes a spring configured to exert the first force. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second actuator includes an electrochemical actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer structure is configured to activate a trigger associated with the second actuator when the first actuator moves from its first configuration to its second configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is configured to exert the first force in a first direction with respect to the reservoir upon movement of the first actuator towards its second configuration, the second actuator is configured to exert the second force in a second direction, different than the first direction, with respect to the reservoir when the second actuator moves towards its second configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is at least partially disposed within a housing, further comprising:
 a cartridge assembly including at least one of the second actuator and the reservoir, the cartridge assembly configured to be received in an interior region defined by the housing, the cartridge assembly configured to displace the transfer structure when the cartridge assembly is loaded into the interior region of the housing such that at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator is moved to its first configuration.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a reservoir configured to contain a fluid;   a fluid communicator configured to be in fluid communication with the reservoir;   a first actuator including a mechanical actuator, the first actuator coupled to the reservoir and configured to exert a first force on the reservoir to urge fluid within the reservoir out of the reservoir through the fluid communicator; and   a second actuator including an electrochemical actuator, the second actuator coupled to the reservoir and configured to exert a second force on the reservoir to urge fluid within the reservoir out of the reservoir through the fluid communicator.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the electrochemical actuator includes an electrode configured to deflect when the electrochemical actuator is discharged, the deflection of the electrode being operative to exert the second force on the reservoir. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the electrochemical actuator is a first electrochemical actuator, the first electrochemical actuator defining a first stroke when the electrochemical actuator is discharged, the second actuator including a second electrochemical actuator, the second electrochemical actuator defining a second stroke when the second electrochemical actuator is discharged, a stroke of the second actuator being collectively defined by the first stroke and the second stroke. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second actuator includes a first electrochemical actuator and a second electrochemical actuator. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first actuator is configured to exert the first force for a first time period, the second actuator is configured to exert the second force for a second time period after the first time period. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first time period at least partially overlaps with the second time period. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a transfer structure disposed between the reservoir and the first actuator, the transfer structure configured to transmit the first force to the reservoir upon actuation of the first actuator.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first volume of fluid and the second volume of fluid are collectively substantially equal to a total volume of fluid contained in the reservoir. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a first transfer structure disposed between first actuator and the reservoir, the first transfer structure configured to transmit the first force to the reservoir upon actuation of the first actuator; and   a second transfer structure disposed between the second actuator and the reservoir, the second transfer structure configured to transmit the second force to the reservoir.   
     
     
         18 . A method for delivering a fluid, comprising:
 actuating a first actuator including a mechanical actuator to exert a first force on a fluid reservoir such that a first volume of fluid within the fluid reservoir is communicated out of the reservoir and through a fluid communicator; and   actuating a second actuator including an electrochemical actuator to exert a second force on the fluid reservoir such that a second volume of fluid within the fluid reservoir is communicated out of the reservoir and through the fluid communicator.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein actuation of the first actuator exerts the first force on the fluid reservoir in a first direction, actuation of the second actuator exerts the second force on the fluid reservoir in a second direction different than the first direction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first actuator is configured to exert the first force for a first time period, the second actuator is configured to exert the second force for a second time period after the first time period. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first force is exerted by the first actuator onto a transfer structure configured to transmit the first force to the reservoir. 
     
     
         22 . A kit, comprising:
 a housing including an actuator; and   a reservoir configured to contain a fluid, the reservoir having a first configuration in which the reservoir is separate from the housing, the reservoir having a second configuration in which at least a portion of the reservoir is received in the housing, the actuator configured to exert a force on the reservoir when the reservoir is in its second configuration such that at a volume of the fluid is communicated out of the reservoir.   
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a cartridge assembly configured to be slidably inserted into an opening in the housing, the cartridge assembly including the reservoir.   
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 22 , wherein the actuator is configured to be placed in a pre-loaded position when the cartridge assembly is inserted into the opening of the housing.