HRP20040762A2 - Humidity-tight cartridge for a powder inhaler - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cartridge with pharmaceutical powder for powder inhalers that serves to store a large amount of pharmaceutical preparations for a large number of pharmaceutical powder doses, which has at least one reservoir and an integrated measuring device, said integrated measuring device contains at least one movable scale that can move generally transversely within the channel of the movable measure at least from the filling position to the emptying position, roughly transversely to the direction of outflow of the pharmaceutical powder from at least one container, and a suitably equipped inhaler.

The field of technology

In the field of treating bronchial diseases, and also other diseases in which the drug must be administered through the respiratory tract, it is known not only how to disperse solutions or suspensions into aerosols for inhalation, but also how to apply powdered drugs. Many examples of such drugs are described in the literature, and of these, for the sake of illustration only, we refer to WO 93/11773, EP 0 416 950 A1 and EP 0 416 951 A1.

The usual form of application in this regard is delivery via an inhalation device (inhaler).

Known inhalers for powdered pharmaceutical preparations include those for the administration of a single dose, and also inhalation devices having a single container for multiple pharmaceutical doses. It is known that the latter type of inhaler either uses separate containers for each individual dose or a single container for receiving several doses of the drug.

Known inhalers in which a large number of individual doses are contained in separate containers include those in which each individual portion of the inhaler is filled with a pharmaceutical dose. An example of such an inhaler is described in S.A.D. 5,301,666 A. However, it is also known that a large number of pharmaceutical powder doses can be stored in separate parts of the so-called blister packs. DE 44 00 083 C2 describes an example of such a blister pack for use in an inhaler. Such a blister pack, which is also designed as a single-use inhaler, is described, for example, in DE 44 00 084 A1.

An inhaler device into which blister packs can be inserted, each of which has a separate container for individual doses of a powdered pharmaceutical preparation and which can be emptied one after the other by means of an inhaler device, is described, for example, in DE 195 23 516 C1.

Many examples of inhalers with containers for a large number of pharmaceutical doses are described in the prior art. One example with a replaceable storage container is described in German Patent Specification 846 770 and another in WO 95/31237.

One important problem with inhalation systems in which a large number of doses of medically active substances can be stored in a common container relates to the distribution of individual doses for one single inhalation. In this regard, a large number of solutions have been offered, for example those described in S.A.D. 2,587,215 A and S.A.D. 4,274,403 A. Other methods of measuring a single dose of a pharmaceutical powder from a container for a large number of pharmaceutical doses are described, in addition, in WO 92/09322, WO 93/16748 and DE 35 35 561 C2, and GB 2 165 159 A. Interchangeable a cartridge for storing a large number of doses of pharmaceutical powder with an integrated sliding scale is known from DE 195 22 415 A1.

Another important problem with the inhalation of pharmaceutical powders relates to the dispersal of galenic powder formulations into particles that can penetrate the lungs. Active substances administered in this way are generally mixed with vehicles in order to achieve an acceptable dosage capacity of the medicinally active substance and to determine other properties of the pharmaceutical powder, which, for example, can affect shelf life.

Solutions offered for the design of powder inhalers in which the availability of particles that can penetrate into the lungs is achieved by air flow for inhalation are described, for example, in EP 0 640 354 A2, S.A.D. 5,505,196 A, U.S.A.D. 5,320,714 A, U.S.A.D. 5,435,301 A, U.S.A.D. 5,301,666 A, DE 195 22 416 A1 and WO 97/00703. Solutions that use auxiliary energy to create an air current are known and offered, for example in ZA-A 916741.

When using inhalation drugs in powder form, it is also quite well-known to combine active substances using prepared mixtures of active substances. Corresponding proposed solutions are found in EP 0 416 951 A1 and WO 93/11773, for example for the combination of salmeterol and fluticasone or formoterol and budesonide.

WO 00/74754 and many other publications over a period of over twenty years state that, particularly with powder inhalers, there is a significant moisture problem. Not only can moisture have an undesirable effect on the pharmaceutical active part of the drug, but it can also especially lower the interaction of the physical and chemical parameters of the combination of active substance and excipients. As a consequence, lumps may form, for example, or the dispersal of the inhaled powder into particles that can penetrate the lungs may be impaired. All of the above circumstances can lead to problems that affect the dosing and effectiveness of the application of the powder medicine.

In order to reduce these disadvantages, various attempts have been made in the past to reduce the penetration of moisture into the powder inhaler by using hermetic seals. Attempts have also been made to reduce the ill effects of moisture penetration by using a desiccant to absorb the moisture, particularly to keep the moisture in the air to a minimum in the storage chambers.

State of the art

In the prior art, WO 00/74754 specifically describes how attempts to solve this problem have generally been limited to the use of drying agents in various forms. The said Applicant claims in his claims that, for the first time, he solves this problem by introducing a hermetic seal in order to prevent moisture from penetrating into the inhaler, especially into the powder inhaler storage container, specifically with elastic sealing elements.

For this purpose, sealing elements are specified which are made of "all commonly known materials, for example natural and synthetic rubber, silicone or PTFE" and similar materials.

Then, related to the inhaler for powders "Clickhaler" from Innovata Biomed, the performance is described in detail, which refers to the special performance of the measuring mechanism of that inhaler, which contains a measuring device in the form of a star feeder (star feeder), which has the shape of an obliquely cut cone.

In the described embodiment, the included sealing element is also a frustoconical sealing sleeve, which is attached to the truncated measuring cone and can be pivoted, so that it can be placed in the closing position and the opening position. Here, on page 5, it is interestingly described that the sealing sleeve should preferably be made of the same synthetic material as the measuring cone. It was further proposed that the sealing sleeve be equipped with the same number of holes as the measuring cone element has measuring cavities. The sealing sleeve and the measuring element should be designed so that, when both are turned, the measuring chamber formed by the opening in the sealing sleeve, first takes the drug from the container, and then, after further movement, stores it in the measuring cavity of the specific measuring cone, and hence is finally moved into the air duct.

A particularly advanced embodiment is described in which the outer contour of the sealing sleeve forms a spherical part and enables a good fit with the corresponding rounding of the drug container. The inner contour of the sealing sleeve should be adapted to the frustum of the measuring cone.

From the U.S. patent no. 6,132,394 A, a solution is known in which a separate container contains a desiccant in the drug chamber of the inhaler. This is described to be different from S.A.D. patent no. 4,274,403 A in that a completely closed separate container made of a material as permeable to moisture as possible is used and in which a desiccant, for example silica gel, is placed. An important advantage of this solution should be the fact that, compared to conventional dry capsules, there is no part or connection point through which small amounts of desiccant can pass into the drug chamber and thus contaminate the powdered drug. In conventional dry capsules, such connection points should exist especially between the body of the capsule and the porous membrane through which water vapor passes into the desiccant.

The separate container should therefore be made as much as possible from one material, preferably one with a high degree of water vapor permeability. Suitable materials offered are polycarbonate (PC) and ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene). The drying process that takes place here over a relatively long period of time should be coordinated with the use of container materials.

WO 01/46038 discloses the use of a plug, film, tablet or coating of EVA copolymer with 35-80% by weight of a desiccant, such as silica gel, clay or zinc chloride as a desiccant in capsule form or placed in a storage container, in particular for packaged food, and mention is made of reduced mechanical stability of the cap, etc., and the risk of mechanical disintegration at relatively high concentrations of desiccant. Here, the types of EVA described as suitable have fairly high proportions of vinyl acetate copolymers, so that these materials have very high water vapor permeability.

WO 01/21238 also discloses a powder inhaler with a hermetic closure when not in use. Accordingly, in the case of a powder inhaler with a drug container and an air channel passing under the container, there is a sealing sleeve on each side of the storage container, which covers the air supply opening and the inhalation opening of the air channel in the closed position. When the actuation cap is actuated and actuates the draw plug through the storage space to transfer a dose of medication from the reservoir to the air channel, the two sealing sleeves, which are attached to the actuation cap, are actuated downward until the metering plug is in his vacated position. There are holes in the sealing sleeves that are positioned in such a way that when the activation cap is in the end position, they clear the air duct openings. As long as the activation cap is held down, air can be sucked in through the air channel. When the activation cap is released and returned to its initial position, the air channel openings close again.

By means of an additional assembly of the guide and the elastic design of the sealing sleeves, they are pressed against the outer wall to enhance the sealing effect. In this embodiment, as the distance they travel between the open and closed position increases, the sealing sleeves are increasingly pressed against the outer wall of the inhaler transverse to the direction of travel. Also included is a resilient bellows seal between the actuation cap and the inhaler housing to close the gap between said structural parts.

Brief description of the invention

Thus, the objective of the present invention is to improve existing systems for administering drugs in powder form.

According to the present invention, this goal is achieved by means of a cartridge for pharmaceutical powders for inhalers, a powder that serves to store a large amount of pharmaceutical preparations for a large number of pharmaceutical powder doses, which has at least one reservoir and an integrated measuring device, and said integrated measuring device contains at least one a sliding scale that can be moved substantially transversely within the sliding scale channel at least from the filling position to the emptying position, approximately transverse to the direction of outflow of the pharmaceutical powder from the at least one container, and the sliding scale channel with at least one sliding scale is hermetically sealed from the environment at least while the slide gauge is in the charging position.

Designing in accordance with the subject invention, and at a slightly higher additional cost, provides effective protection of the pharmaceutical container against moisture from the environment, especially during storage in the period of use after the patient has started using the container. This advantage works both when the pharmaceutical cartridge is connected to the inhaler and when it is stored outside the inhaler. Compatibility with the known types of powder inhalers for replaceable pharmaceutical powder cartridges listed at the beginning is maintained.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cartridge for pharmaceutical powder according to the subject invention is characterized by the fact that the sliding scale channel has, at one end, an opening into the surrounding space through which part of the sliding scale can pass, and around the opening there is a contact surface for the seal.

Particularly reliable functioning can be achieved if the slide measure has a sealing surface made in a plane which is roughly transverse to the direction of movement from the filling position to the discharging position. In this way, it is possible at the same time to avoid the change of frictional forces during the movement of the sliding scale, which, in known inhalers, can be caused by the movement of the seal along the sealing surface, by powder residues or wear of the seal itself.

Particularly reliable sealing is achieved when said sealing is performed with an elastic seal.

In the case of longer storage before the pharmaceutical powder cartridge is inserted into the inhaler, a particularly permanent and effective seal is guaranteed if the sliding scale can be moved further into the additional storage position and the seal is pre-stressed elastically at least in the storage position of the sliding scale, especially if the caliper is secured in the storage position in a rigid resilient manner.

In a preferred embodiment, the pharmaceutical powder cartridge according to the present invention is characterized in that the measuring device contains at least one measuring cavity for holding a predetermined amount of pharmaceutical powder.

For the application of combinations of active substances, it can also be useful if the cartridge with pharmaceutical powder has at least two containers, especially if the cartridge with pharmaceutical powder has a measuring device, and said measuring device has, for each of the containers, a measuring cavity for measuring a predetermined amount medically active substances contained in containers. Depending on the specific combinations of active substances, it is also useful if devices for measuring individual cartridges with pharmaceutical powder have cavities for measuring the same or different volumes.

A particularly economical application is possible, especially suitable for expensive pharmaceutical powders that are only used occasionally, if the cartridge with the pharmaceutical powder additionally has a device that shows the amount of pharmaceutical doses remaining in the container chambers or which have already been taken from the container chambers.

The advantages of the present invention can be particularly used in the long-term use of a cartridge for pharmaceutical powder for powder inhalers, for the purpose of keeping a pharmaceutical store for a large number of doses of pharmaceutical powder, which have at least one container and an integrated measuring device, and said integrated measuring device can be placed at least in the filling position and the emptying position, and it can be moved from the filling position to the emptying position, and a seal is also included that seals the tank to a considerable extent from the surrounding space and against the ingress of moisture, at least in the filling position of the measuring device , and said seal can be elastically deformed, during the movement of the measuring device from its emptying position to its filling position, without any sliding of the seal in relation to the sealing surfaces.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the seal is made of silicone rubber or elastomer, more preferably thermoplastic elastomer, preferably TPEE (thermoplastic polyester elastomer).

The improvement of the properties related to the use made possible by the subject invention, in particular by actively reducing the effect of moisture on the pharmaceutical powder during the period of use by the patient or hospital institution, is additionally achieved by means of a cartridge for pharmaceutical powder for powder inhalers or a powder inhaler having at least one container for holding the pharmaceutical reservoirs for a large number of dosages of pharmaceutical powder, including a body of the housing and a lid that substantially includes at least one container, and where the body of the reservoir and/or the lid are mainly made of PVDC (Polyvinylidene Chloride), a pharmaceutical-compatible plastic coated in whole or in part with by PVDC, an olefinic copolymer with heterocyclic side groups (COC or mPP), or PCTFE (polychlorotrifluoroethylene).

In a particularly useful embodiment, the pharmaceutical powder cartridge according to the present invention is characterized by the fact that at least one sliding scale as a component of the measuring device is made mainly of PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), a pharmaceutical compatible plastic coated in whole or in part with PVDC, of an olefinic copolymer with heterocyclic side groups, at least partially oriented PP (polypropylene) or PCTFE (polychlorotrifluoroethylene).

In order to limit the effect of moisture, which has penetrated or is present in the cartridge, on the pharmaceutical powder, it is further advantageous if the cartridge for the pharmaceutical powder for powder inhalers or the powder inhaler according to the present invention is characterized so that the body of the housing and/or the lid include , at least on one part of the side opposite the tank, the desiccant mixture embedded in the thermoplastic matrix.

In order to avoid the spoilage of the pharmaceutical substance by the residues of the drying agent, it is useful, according to the present invention, to enable a cartridge for pharmaceutical powder for powder inhalers or a powder inhaler that have at least one container for storing pharmaceutical powder for a large number of pharmaceutical doses, and contains at least one molded body made of a thermoplastic matrix mixture in which a drying agent is included, preferably silica gel, bentonite or molecular sieve, especially if the channels are formed in a matrix of thermoplastic material with low water absorption, such as can be obtained by dissolving soluble co-extruded components . To quickly buy the remaining moisture in the container, it can also be useful if water vapor absorbing fibers are included as a filler in a matrix of thermoplastic material with low water absorption.

It is particularly advantageous, for the purpose of economical mass production, if the mixture in the matrix of a thermoplastic material with low water absorption and the desiccant included therein is conceived as at least part of the inner part of the container by means of multi-component injection molding in a housing made of plastic which is largely impermeable to water vapor.

Within the scope of the present invention, it is also advantageous if the housing body and lid are sealed watertight, preferably using ultrasonic welding.

In particularly economical production, the seal is co-injected onto the housing body or the slide gauge.

The subject invention can be usefully exploited on a commercial basis by using an inhaler for powder pharmaceutical preparations with a cartridge for pharmaceutical powder in accordance with the subject invention, as well as with an inhaler for powder pharmaceutical preparations in which the pharmaceutical preparations can be taken by the patient via air flow, which is characterized by a holder for a cartridge for pharmaceutical powder according to the subject invention.

The advantages of the subject invention are particularly useful for patients who need treatment with a pharmaceutical powder cartridge according to the subject invention, which contains a powder with one or more of the following active substances: analgesics, anti-allergens, antibiotics, anticholinergics, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory substances, antipyretics , corticoids, steroids, antitussives, bronchodilators, diuretics, enzymes, substances that affect the cardiovascular system, hormones, proteins and peptides.

Application of the subject invention

The present invention enables the availability of pharmacodynamically active substances in the form of powder pharmaceutical preparations during a long period of use, even when they are sensitive to moisture or subjected to unfavorable climatic conditions, and in this way also provides the advantages of a multi-use inhaler with replaceable cartridges for pharmaceutical powders .

It is also possible to make available powdered pharmaceutical preparations for inhalation in different combinations of active substances under improved storage conditions, where individual active substances have an increased sensitivity to moisture that affects their shelf life, their stability or the possibility of their dosing. Active substances for which the present invention can be used can also be, for example, from the group of beta-sympathomimetics: salbutamol, reproterol, fenoterol, formoterol, salmeterol. Possible examples from the group of corticosteroids are: budesonide, beclomethasone, fluticasone, triamcinolone, loteprednol, mometasone, flunisolide, ciclosonide. Possible examples from the group of anticholinergics are: ipatropium bromide, tiotropium bromide, glycopyrrolate.

Possible examples from the group of analgesics and anti-migraine agents are: morphine, tramadol, flupirtine, sumatriptan. The following preparations can be used, for example, from the group of peptides and proteins: cetrorelix, insulin, calcitonin, parathyroid hormone, factor VIII analogs, interferon alfa, interferon beta, heparin, FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), colistin, tobramycin.

The use is not limited to the active substances listed here. The described cartridge with pharmaceutical powder is suitable for all active substances that can be measured in powder form and administered by inhalation. By suitable adjustment of the system and measuring device, the described subject invention is also suitable for combinations of active substances containing liquid formulations, for example solutions or suspensions of pharmacodynamically active substances.

Pharmaceutical powder formulations that can be purposefully used in systems with pharmaceutical powder cartridges in accordance with the present invention can contain various active substances, such as, for example, analgesics, anti-allergy agents, antibiotics, anticholinergics, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory substances, antipyretics, corticoids, steroids, antitussives, bronchodilators, diuretics, enzymes, cardiovascular agents, hormones, proteins and peptides. Examples of analgesics are codeine, diamorphine, dihydromorphine, ergotamine, fentanyl and morphine; anti-allergic examples are cromoglycinic acid and nedocromil; examples of antibiotics are cephalosporins, fusafungins, neomycin, penicillins, pentamidines, streptomycins, sulfonamides and tetracyclines, holistin, tobramycin; examples of anticholinergics are atropine, atropine methonitrate, ipratropium bromide, oxytropium bromide, trospium chloride and tiotropium bromide; examples of antihistamines are azelastine, flezelastine and metapyrilene; examples of anti-inflammatory agents are beclomethasone, budesonide, loteprednol, dexamethasone, flunisolide, fluticasone, tipredane, triamcinolone, mometasone; examples of antitussives are arcotin and noscapine; examples of bronchodilators are bambuterol, bitolterol, carbuterol, clenbuterol, ephedrine, epinephrine, formoterol, fenoterol, hexoprenaline, ibuterol, isoprenaline, isoproterenol, metaproterenol, orciprenaline, phenylephrine, phenyl-propanolamine, pirbuterol, procaterol, reproterol, rimiterol, salbutamol, salmeterol, sulfonterol , terbutaline and tolobuterol; examples of diuretics are amiloride and furosemide; an example of an enzyme is trypsin; examples of cardiovascular agents are diltiazem and nitroglycerin; examples of hormones are cortisone, hydrocortisone and prednisolone; examples of proteins and peptides are cyclosporine, cetrorelix, glucagon and insulin. The following active substances that can be used are adrenochrome, colchicine, heparin, scopolamine. The active substances mentioned by way of example can be used as free bases or acids or as pharmaceutically acceptable salts. Counterions that can be used include, for example, physiological alkaline earth metals or alkali metals or amines, for example acetate, benzene sulfonate, benzoate, hydrogen carbonate, hydrogen tartrate, bromide, chloride, iodide, carbonate, citrate, fumarate, malate, maleate, gluconate, lactate, pamoate and sulfate. Esters can also be used, for example acetate, acetonide, propionate, dipropionate, valerate.

The subject invention also allows the doctor to very precisely adjust the dose to the patient over a longer period of time, without the need to discard partially empty cartridges, which can adversely affect treatment costs, and without compromising compatibility with other types of cartridges in different measuring devices, e.g. with cartridge known from WO 97/00703.

Short description of the pictures

Figure 1 shows a cartridge for pharmaceutical powder according to the present invention, in a spatial perspective;

Figure 2 shows a section of the seal of a cartridge with a pharmaceutical powder according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the support mechanism of the sliding scale in the pharmaceutical powder cartridge according to the present invention;

Figure 4A shows a cross-section of the housing of the sliding scale in a cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to the present invention;

Figure 4B shows a longitudinal section through the sliding scale housing of the pharmaceutical powder cartridge according to the subject invention from Figure 4A;

Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through a cartridge for a pharmaceutical powder according to the present invention, in an inhaler with a sliding scale in the discharge position; And

Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section through a pharmaceutical powder cartridge according to the present invention, in a slide-meter inhaler in the filling position.

Description of preferred illustrative embodiments

Figure 1 shows a spatial perspective of the body of the housing 11 of the pharmaceutical powder cartridge 1 according to the present invention for exchangeable insertion into the powder inhaler 2. The pharmaceutical powder cartridge 1 shown here has, in the upper part of its housing 11, a border 3 that includes two gripping parts 4 to allow easy insertion of the pharmaceutical powder cartridge 1 into the powder inhaler 2. In the illustrative embodiment shown here, a device indicating the amount of pharmaceutical doses remaining in the container 6 or which have been removed from the container 6 is also located in the rim 3, in the annular channel 5 formed therein (the device is not shown in full detail), for example in the form of strips of foil with appropriate markings, as described in detail in WO 97/00703. The user can then read the markings through the small window 7 on the border 3.

The border 3 also serves to place the cover 8 with which the container 6, which forms the main part of the cartridge with the pharmaceutical powder 1, can be hermetically closed. Such a cover 8 is suitably closed, in a watertight manner, on a ring 10 made inside the border 3, for example by ultrasonic welding.

Below the container 6 is placed a slide gauge channel 12, in which is placed a slide gauge that acts as a measuring device so that it can be moved, which slide gauge, in the illustrative embodiment described here, is made of three parts, namely a support 13, of the concrete body of the sliding scale 14, and the seal 15 (Figures 2, 3, 4A and 4B). The caliper is configured in such a way that the seal 15, shown in Figure 2, is inserted into the support 13, shown in Figure 3, and the support 13 is attached with the seal 15 to the body of the caliper 14.

As can be clearly seen from Figure 1, the slide gauge channel 12 has an opening 16 at one end, and around the opening 16 there is a contact surface 17 for the slide gauge seal 15. The contact surface 17 also functions as a sealing surface at the same time, and extends in a plane approximately perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sliding scale from the charging position, as shown in Figure 5, to the discharging position, as shown in Figure 6.

The slide meter body 14 shown in Figures 4A and 4B includes a metering cavity 18, the volume of which represents the size of the dose to be made available for inhalation. The seal 15 can, for example, be co-injected in a multi-component injection molding process, and for this purpose it can be made, for example, of a thermoplastic elastomer. Accordingly, a sealing surface can be made on the caliper, and the elastic seal 15 can be installed, or even better, injection molded in the area of the opening 16 of the channel of the caliper 12.

The housing body 11 and/or the cover 8 and/or the caliper body 14 may conveniently be made of COC by injection molding. A suitable material under the name TOPAS® 8007 is commercially available as a trial product from Ticona in Germany.

For pharmaceutical combinations where the powder cannot be stored, or cannot be adequately stored, in the form of a mixture, it may also be useful to provide two storage chambers instead of one chamber 6.

Figures 5 and 6 show a longitudinal section through a pharmaceutical powder cartridge 1 inserted into an inhaler 2. As can be seen from the Figures, the slide gauge, generally designated 9, can be moved in the slide gauge channel 12 at least from the filling position, which is shown in Figure 6, to the discharge position shown in Figure 5.

In the filling position shown in Figure 6, the pharmaceutical powder can fall from the container 6 into the measuring cavity 18. When the measuring cavity 18 is filled with the desired amount of pharmaceutical powder, the slide measure 9 can be moved to the emptying position, as shown in Fig. 5, with the help of catches in the powder inhaler, which are only schematically indicated here, for example like those described in S.A.D. patent 5,840,279 A, which work together with the support 13.

The emptying position is reached when the measuring cavity 18 is above the emptying position 19. When the slide measure 9 reaches said position, the pharmaceutical powder can fall from the measuring cavity 18 through the emptying hole 19, for example into the powder channel 20 of the inhaler 2.

The filling position of the dipstick 9 can be clearly seen in Figure 6, and the measuring cavity 18 is located under the opening 21 on the underside of the tank 6. To reach the emptying position, the dipstick 9 is pushed to the left, in Figure 6, until said the measuring cavity 18 does not cover the discharge opening 19, and the pharmaceutical powder can be shaken out of it.

It can also be clearly seen from Figure 6 that the seal 15 of the slide gauge 9 lies on the contact surface 17 of the channel of the slide gauge 12 and ensures a good seal, preferably with less elastic deformation. This can be achieved by pre-tensioning with tough elastic attachments, in particular by means of a device for activating the slide gauge 9, which conveniently achieves the instantaneous return movement of the slide gauge 9 from the discharge position, as shown in Figure 5, to its hermetically sealed loading position, as is shown in Figure 6, immediately after removing the pharmaceutical dose.

In order to achieve a higher contact pressure of the seal 15 of the sliding scale 9 on the contact surface 17 of the channel of the sliding scale 12, and thus in particular reliable sealing during storage of the pharmaceutical powder cartridge according to the invention, especially before its first use in a powder inhaler, it is useful to provide, slightly to the right according to the section in Figure 6, an additional storage position for the sliding scale 9 of the cartridge filled with pharmaceutical powder 1, in which the sliding scale 9 can be fixed by the release clip 22, which is shown in the Figure. In this storage position, the seal 15 of the caliper 9 on the contact surface 17 of the channel of the caliper 12 is subjected to an increased biasing force.

It is desirable that in the upper part of the container there is also a shaped body 23, which is preferably fixed in its position by means of corresponding shaped parts 24, in order to avoid mechanical loading of the pharmaceutical powder. Molded body 23 is conveniently produced by an injection molding process from a mixture of thermoplastic matrix and desiccant. The special purpose of the desiccant is to absorb the moisture that is in the container 6 or that has penetrated through the measuring cavity 18. The use of such a shaped body 23 ensures that no particles of the desiccant, usually silica gel, can pass into the pharmaceutical powder, and therefore neither into the patient's airways. Such a shaped body can be made from a PP matrix, which by itself does not absorb water and which is injected mixed with a water-soluble compound and a drying agent, for example polyethylene glycol, and then the water-soluble compound is washed off. In this way, a sponge-like structure with channels is obtained, which, after the molded body dries, enables the rapid absorption of water through silica gel (which is not soluble in water) through large surfaces using capillary condensation.

In order to achieve a rapid absorption of water throughout the molded body 23, it would also be appropriate to include suitable fibers as filler in the mixture of the desiccant and the thermoplastic matrix, and said fibers, through their capillary action, would ensure the rapid transfer of moisture from the air and of water into the desiccant.

The molded body 23 can also be formed in the form of a wall lining in the manner of an insert, as shown in Figure 5 by way of illustration only, or, by multi-component injection molding in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical powder cartridge, and can form all or part of the inner wall of the container 6.

Claims (26)

1. Cartridge for pharmaceutical powder (1) for powder inhalers with the purpose of receiving pharmaceutical storage for a large number of pharmaceutical doses of powder, which has at least one container (6) and an integrated measuring device, and said integrated measuring device contains at least one sliding scale ( 9, 13, 14) which can be moved mainly transversely to the channel of the sliding scale (12), at least from the filling position to the emptying position, mainly transversely in relation to the direction of passage of the pharmaceutical powder from at least one container (6), characterized by that the slide gauge channel (12) with at least one slide gauge (9, 13, 14) is hermetically sealed from the environment at least in the position for filling the slide gauge (9, 13, 14). 2. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to patent claim 1, characterized in that the slide gauge channel (12) has, at one end, an opening (16) into the surrounding space through which part of the slide gauge (9, 13, 14) can pass ), and around the opening (16) there is a contact surface (17) for the seal (15). 3. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to patent claim 2, characterized in that the slide measure (9, 13, 14) has a sealing surface placed in a plane that is generally transverse to the direction of movement of the first one from the filling position to the emptying position. 4. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to any of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the sealing is achieved by an elastic seal (15). 5. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the slide measure (9, 13, 14) can be additionally moved to the storage position, and the seal (15) is elastically prestressed and sealed at least in the position for storing the sliding scale (9, 13, 14). 6. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to patent claim 5, characterized in that the slide measure (9, 13, 14) is fixed in the storage position by means of a solid elastic attachment. 7. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the measuring device contains at least one measuring cavity (18) for accepting a predetermined amount of powdered pharmaceutical agent. 8. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to any of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the cartridge with pharmaceutical powder has at least two containers (6). 9. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to patent claim 8, characterized in that the cartridge with pharmaceutical powder has a measuring device, and said measuring device has, for each of the containers (6), a measuring cavity (18) for measuring a predetermined amount of each from medically active substances that are in containers (6). 10. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to any of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the device for measuring individual cartridges with pharmaceutical powder has measuring cavities (18) of equal or different volume. 11. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) additionally has a device for showing the amount of pharmaceutical doses that remain in the containers (6) or that have already been removed from the container (6) . 12. Cartridge for pharmaceutical powder (1) for powder inhalers with the purpose of holding a pharmaceutical reservoir for a large number of doses of pharmaceutical powder, which has at least one container (6) and an integrated measuring device, and said integrated measuring device can be placed at least in position for filling and emptying position, and can be moved from the filling position to the emptying position, indicated by the fact that it includes a seal (15) that to a considerable extent hermetically separates the container (6) from the environment, and against the ingress of moisture, at least in the position for filling the measuring device, and said seal (15) is elastically deformable, during the movement of the measuring device from its emptying position to its filling position, without any sliding of the seal (15) in relation to the sealing surfaces (17). 13. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the seal (15) is made of silicone rubber or elastomer. 14. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the seal (15) is made of thermoplastic elastomer, preferably TPEE (thermoplastic polyester elastomer). 15. Pharmaceutical powder cartridge (1) for powder inhalers or powder inhaler having at least one container (6) for holding a pharmaceutical reservoir for a number of doses of pharmaceutical powder, including the housing body (11) and the cover (8) which substantially surround at least one container (6), characterized in that the body of the housing (11) and/or the cover (8) are made mainly of PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), a pharmaceutical compatible plastic coated in whole or in part with PVDC, an olefinic copolymer with heterocyclic side groups [COC or mPP], or CTFE (polychlorotrifluoroethylene). 16. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to any of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that at least one sliding scale (9, 13, 14) as a component of the measuring device is made mainly of PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride), a pharmaceutical compatible plastic coated in whole or in part with PVDC, an olefinic copolymer with heterocyclic side groups, at least partially oriented PP (polypropylene) or PCTFE (polychlorotrifluoroethylene). 17. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) for powder inhalers or powder inhaler according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the housing body (11) and/or cover (8) contains, at least on the part of the side opposite the container (6) , a desiccant mixture embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. 18. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) for powder inhalers or powder inhalers having at least one container for holding a pharmaceutical reservoir for a large number of doses of pharmaceutical powder, characterized by the fact that it contains at least one molded body (23) made of a thermoplastic matrix mixture with a desiccant inserted into the matrix, preferably silica gel. 19. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) for powder inhalers or powder inhaler according to claims 17 or 18, characterized in that the channels are formed in a matrix of thermoplastic material with low water absorption, such as can be obtained by dissolving soluble co-extruded components. 20. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) for powder inhalers or powder inhaler according to claims 17 or 18, characterized in that the fibers that absorb water vapor are inserted as filling in a matrix of thermoplastic material with low water absorption. 21. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) for powder inhalers or powder inhaler according to one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that the mixture in the matrix of a thermoplastic material with low water absorption and a drying substance inserted in it is made as that at least part of the inner wall of the tank (6) is made of a plastic material that is largely impermeable to water vapor through multi-component injection molding into the housing (11). 22. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the body of the housing (11) and the lid (8) are closed in a watertight manner, preferably by means of ultrasonic welding. 23. A cartridge with pharmaceutical powder (1) according to any of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the seal (15) is co-injected onto the body of the housing (11) or the sliding scale (9, 13, 14). 24. An inhaler for pharmaceutical preparations in the form of a powder, characterized in that the cartridge for the pharmaceutical powder is identical to that described in any of the preceding patent claims. 25. An inhaler for powdered pharmaceutical preparations, in which the patient can take the pharmaceutical preparation using an air current, characterized in that the holder for the cartridge for the pharmaceutical powder is according to any of patent claims 1 to 23. 26. Cartridge with pharmaceutical powder according to any one of patent claims 1 to 23, characterized in that it contains powder with one or more of the following active substances: analgesics, anti-allergens, antibiotics, anticholinergics, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory substances, antipyretics, corticoids, steroids, antitussives, bronchodilators, diuretics, enzymes, substances that affect the cardiovascular system, hormones, proteins and peptides.