Devices for evaporation and inhalation of active agents

Abstract

There is provided an inhalation device for delivering a deliverable agent in the form of an aerosol or vapour to a user. The device comprises a solid, porous carrier material having a defined porosity, and a deliverable agent located within the pores of the carrier material. The device is operable to heat the carrier material and vaporise the deliverable agent. Deliverable agents that may be delivered to the user include active pharmaceutical ingredients. Suitable materials for the porous carrier material include chemically bonded ceramic materials and geopolymeric materials.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of treating or preventing a disease comprising using an inhalation device to deliver nicotine or a salt thereof in the form of an aerosol or vapour to a person suffering from or susceptible to said disease, wherein the inhalation device comprises a solid, porous carrier material having a porosity of at least 10%, and nicotine or a salt thereof located within the pores of the carrier material, and wherein the device is operable to heat the carrier material and vaporise the nicotine or salt thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A method of treating nicotine dependence or one or more symptoms of nicotine dependence, addiction or withdrawal, said method comprising using an inhalation device to deliver nicotine or a salt thereof in the form of an aerosol or vapour to a person suffering from nicotine dependence or one or more of said symptoms, wherein the inhalation device comprises a solid, porous carrier material having a porosity of at least 10%, and nicotine or a salt thereof located within the pores of the carrier material, and wherein the device is operable to heat the carrier material and vaporise the nicotine or salt thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said one or more symptoms of nicotine dependence, addiction or withdrawal is selected from the group consisting of nicotine addiction, cravings for nicotine, anger, irritability, anxiety, depression, impatience, trouble sleeping, restlessness, hunger, weight gain, and difficulty concentrating. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  comprising using an inhalation device to deliver nicotine or a salt thereof in the form of an aerosol or vapour to a person who is a smoker, wherein the inhalation device comprises a solid, porous carrier material having a porosity of at least 10%, and nicotine or a salt thereof located within the pores of the carrier material, and wherein the device is operable to heat the carrier material and vaporise the nicotine or salt thereof. 
     
     
         27 . A method of ameliorating one or more symptoms associated with a disease selected from the group consisting of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and depression, said method comprising using an inhalation device to deliver nicotine or a salt thereof in the form of an aerosol or vapour to a person suffering from said one or more symptoms, wherein the inhalation device comprises a solid, porous carrier material having a porosity of at least 10%, and nicotine or a salt thereof located within the pores of the carrier material, and wherein the device is operable to heat the carrier material and vaporise the nicotine or salt thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein: (a) the nicotine or salt thereof is pharmaceutically acceptable; (b) the amount of nicotine delivered to the person is from 1 to 100 mg per day; and/or (c) the inhalation device contains a sufficient quantity of the nicotine or salt thereof to provide no more than one unit dosage thereof to the user. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the nicotine or salt thereof comprises nicotine bitartrate. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein: (a) the nicotine or salt thereof is pharmaceutically acceptable; (b) the amount of nicotine delivered to the person is from 1 to 100 mg per day; and/or (c) the inhalation device contains a sufficient quantity of the nicotine or salt thereof to provide no more than one unit dosage thereof to the user. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the inhalation device comprises at least 100 μg nicotine. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the inhalation device contains a sufficient quantity of the nicotine or salt thereof to provide no more than one unit dosage thereof to the user. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein: (a) the solid, porous carrier material has a porosity of from about 20% to about 70%; (b) the average pore size in the carrier material is from about 0.1 μm to about 500 μm, preferably from about 0.2 μm to about 200 μm); (c) the nicotine or salt thereof is located predominantly within the pores of the carrier material and/or (d) the carrier material is based on one or more chemically bonded ceramic materials, one or more geopolymeric materials or one or more metals. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein: (a) the solid, porous carrier material has a porosity of from about 20% to about 70%; (b) the average pore size in the carrier material is from about 0.1 μm to about 500 μm, preferably from about 0.2 μm to about 200 μm; (c) the nicotine or salt thereof is located predominantly within the pores of the carrier material and/or (d) the carrier material is based on one or more chemically bonded ceramic materials, one or more geopolymeric materials or one or more metals. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the nicotine or salt thereof is located predominantly within the pores of the carrier material. 
     
     
         36 . The method according  claim 23 , wherein the carrier material is based on one or more chemically bonded ceramic materials, one or more geopolymeric materials or one or more metals. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the carrier material is selected from the list consisting of:
 (i) a geopolymeric material obtainable by the process of reacting an aluminosilicate precursor material with an aqueous alkaline liquid; and   (ii) a chemically bonded ceramic material obtained from a calcium phosphate, a calcium sulphate, a calcium carbonate, a calcium silicate, a calcium aluminate, a magnesium carbonate, an aluminium silicate, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the carrier material is (i) a chemically bonded ceramic material obtained from a substance selected from the group consisting of calcium sulphate, a calcium phosphate, a calcium silicate, a calcium carbonate, a calcium aluminate, a magnesium carbonate, or a combination thereof, or (ii) a geopolymeric material obtainable by the process of reacting an aluminosilicate precursor material selected from the group consisting of kaolin, dickite, halloysite, nacrite, zeolites, illite, dehydroxylated zeolite, dehydroxylated halloysite and metakaolin with an aqueous alkaline liquid, optionally in the presence of a source of silica. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 23 , (a) wherein the carrier material and the nicotine or salt thereof are provided together in a replaceable cartridge; or (b) further comprising a heating element operable to heat the carrier material. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the replaceable cartridge consists essentially of:
 (i) the carrier material,   (ii) the nicotine or salt thereof, and optionally   (iii) particles of a conducting material and/or one or more substances selected from the group consisting of evaporation enhancing agents, flavouring agents, and taste enhancers.   
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising a heating element operable to heat the carrier material; or wherein the carrier material and the nicotine or salt thereof are provided together in a replaceable cartridge. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the heating element is located proximally to the carrier material.