Prescription bottle cap capable of administering opioid overdose reversal agent

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering a therapeutic agent may be associated with a cap for a bottle that contains a prescription for a drug to which the therapeutic agent corresponds. When the prescription bottle contains an opioid, the therapeutic agent may comprise a substance that counteracts the effects of the opioid. The apparatus may include a nozzle that facilitates nasal administration of the therapeutic agent. The apparatus may be capable of attaching to a cap for a prescription bottle, or the apparatus may have a configuration that enables it to serve as the cap for the prescription bottle.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A cap for a prescription bottle, comprising:
 a base securable to a top of a prescription bottle to confine contents of the prescription bottle within an interior of the prescription bottle; and   a delivery element carried by the base and including:
 a reservoir that contains a substance; 
 a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir, the nozzle moveable between:
 a stored orientation; and 
 a deployed orientation; and 
 
 an actuator that forces the substance from the reservoir, through the nozzle, and out of the nozzle, the actuator including a receptacle for the nozzle that receives the nozzle in the stored orientation to prevent actuation of the actuator, the actuator accessible with the nozzle in the deployed orientation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery element is assembled with the base. 
     
     
         3 . The cap of  claim 2 , wherein the delivery element is removable from the base. 
     
     
         4 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery element is integral with the base. 
     
     
         5 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the substance comprises an opioid overdose reversal agent. 
     
     
         6 . The cap of  claim 5 , wherein the opioid overdose reversal agent comprises naloxone. 
     
     
         7 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the substance comprises a nasally deliverable drug. 
     
     
         8 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle, while in the stored orientation, prevents depression of the actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The cap of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle, while in the deployed orientation, protrudes from the delivery element. 
     
     
         10 . The cap of  claim 9 , wherein the nozzle, while in the deployed orientation, protrudes beyond an outer peripheral edge of the delivery element. 
     
     
         11 . A drug delivery system, comprising:
 a prescription bottle; and   a cap, including:
 a base that couples to the prescription bottle over an opening of the prescription bottle; and 
 a delivery element carried by the base and including:
 a reservoir that receives a substance; 
 a nozzle movable between a stored orientation and a deployed orientation; and 
 a trigger that forces the substance from the reservoir through the nozzle, the trigger including a recess that receives the nozzle in the stored orientation to prevent depression of the trigger, the trigger exposed and depressible with the nozzle in the deployed orientation. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The drug delivery system of  claim 11 , wherein the nozzle is compactly associated with a remainder of the delivery element in the stored orientation and protrudes from a remainder of the delivery element in the deployed orientation. 
     
     
         13 . The drug delivery system of  claim 11 , wherein the delivery element of the cap further includes:
 a spring;   a piston having a loaded position in which the trigger prevents a force of the spring from acting on the piston and a released position in which force of the spring has moved the piston; and   a piston housing including a channel with a rear end that receives the piston and a front end that receives an ampoule comprising the reservoir,   the nozzle positioning a tip of a needle adjacent to a front end of the ampoule to enable the tip of the needle to puncture a stopper of the ampoule and to hold the stopper in place as the piston is driven forward by the force of the spring and drives a body of the ampoule forward, the needle receiving and conveying the substance to an orifice of the nozzle.   
     
     
         14 . The drug delivery system of  claim 13 , wherein the ampoule contains a premeasured dose of a drug. 
     
     
         15 . The drug delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the orifice of the nozzle comprises an atomizer. 
     
     
         16 . The drug delivery system of  claim 11 , wherein the prescription bottle contains an opioid and the reservoir receives an opioid overdose reversal agent. 
     
     
         17 . A method for providing a substance to an individual, comprising:
 filling a bottle with the substance; and   securing a cap to the bottle to secure the substance within the bottle, the cap containing an another substance and being capable of readily administering the another substance to the individual, the cap including an actuator and a nozzle, the nozzle movable between a stored orientation and a deployed orientation, the actuator including a receptacle that receives the nozzle in the stored orientation to prevent actuation of the actuator, the actuator exposed and depressible with the nozzle in the deployed orientation.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein securing the cap to the bottle comprises securing a cap with a nozzle and a pump for nasally administering the another substance to the individual to the bottle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein filling the bottle with the substance comprises filling the bottle with a prescription drug, as prescribed by a licensed medical professional. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 filling the bottle with the substance comprises filling the bottle with an opioid; and   securing the cap to the bottle comprises securing the cap with the another substance comprising an opioid reversal agent to the bottle.