Nasal administration

Abstract

A delivery device for and method of providing for delivery of substance to the central nervous system (CNS) of a subject, the delivery device comprising: a nosepiece unit for insertion into a nasal airway of a subject and comprising an outlet unit which includes a nozzle for delivering substance into the nasal airway of the subject; and a substance supply unit which is operable to deliver a dose of substance to the nozzle; wherein the delivery device is configured such that at least 30% of the dose as initially deposited in the nasal airway is deposited in an upper posterior region of the nasal airway, thereby providing a CNS concentration of the substance, and hence CNS effect, which is significantly greater than that which would be predicted from a counterpart blood plasma concentration of the substance.

What we claim are: 
     
         1 . A delivery device for providing for delivery of substance to the central nervous system (CNS) of a subject, the delivery device comprising:
 a nosepiece unit for insertion into a nasal airway of a subject and comprising an outlet unit which includes a nozzle for delivering substance into the nasal airway of the subject; and   a substance supply unit which is operable to deliver a dose of substance to the nozzle;   wherein the delivery device is configured such that at least 30% of the dose as initially deposited in the nasal airway is deposited in an upper posterior region of the nasal airway which is posterior of the nasal valve and above the inferior meatus, and thereby provides a CNS effect which is significantly greater than that predicted from a counterpart blood plasma concentration of the substance;   wherein the substance comprises sumatriptan or its pharmaceutically-acceptable derivatives or analogues.   
     
     
         2 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to deliver a powder aerosol. 
     
     
         3 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mouthpiece through which the subject in use exhales to cause closure of the oropharyngeal velum of the subject.   
     
     
         4 . The delivery device of  claim 3 , wherein the outlet unit further comprises a delivery channel which is fluidly connected to the mouthpiece, whereby exhaled air from an exhalation breath of the subject is delivered through the nosepiece unit into the nasal airway of the subject. 
     
     
         5 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the substance supply unit is breath actuated. 
     
     
         6 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery device is configured such that at least 40% of the dose as initially deposited in the nasal airway is deposited in the upper posterior region of the nasal airway. 
     
     
         7 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery device is configured such that at least 50% of the dose as initially deposited in the nasal airway is deposited in the upper posterior region of the nasal airway. 
     
     
         8 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet unit includes no cuff member which obstructs a region of the nasal airway which is anterior of the nasal valve. 
     
     
         9 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the peak CNS effect to the peak blood plasma concentration is at least 2 times that achieved using intravenous (IV) delivery. 
     
     
         10 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the peak CNS effect to the peak blood plasma concentration is at least 3 times that achieved using intravenous (IV) delivery. 
     
     
         11 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the substance is for the treatment of a condition which requires a rapid onset of action in order to ameliorate or abort a CNS event. 
     
     
         12 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the substance is for the treatment of migraine.