Apparatus for intraocular injection

Described is an apparatus for intraocular injection comprising a body adapted to accommodate a syringe having a needle, an outer sleeve telescopically coupled to the body, and at least two arms hingedly coupled to the outer sleeve. Each of the arms comprises a medial portion adapted to encase at least a portion of the needle. When the body moves distally relative 10 to said outer sleeve, the body engages the arms separating the medial portions.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a U.S. National Phase Application pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2012/068238 filed Sep. 17, 2012, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 11184406.4 filed Oct. 7, 2011. The entire disclosure contents of these applications are herewith incorporated by reference into the present application.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for intraocular injection.

BACKGROUND

An intraocular injection device may be used to administer therapeutic substances to eyes, such as eyes of mammals having eye disorders or diseases.

A number of vision-threatening disorders or diseases of the eye need to deliver a medicament (pharmaceutical, biological, etc.) and/or implantable device to a posterior segment of the eye by intraocular delivery (more specifically intravitreal delivery). One such technique for intraocular delivery is accomplished by intraocular injection into the vitreous body.

A conventional apparatus for intraocular injection may include a pre-filled syringe of a medicament. A conventional pre-filled syringe is supplied with a needle cover in order to maintain sterility of a needle. However, the needle cover is typically frictionally held on the needle which can result in dislodging of the needle cover. If any portion of the needle becomes unsterile prior to use, the syringe must be discarded.

Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus for intraocular injection which ensures that a needle remains covered until use and facilitates removal of a needle cover.

SUMMARY

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention describe an apparatus for intraocular injection which ensures that a needle remains covered until use and facilitates removal of a needle cover.

In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for intraocular injection according to the present invention comprises a body adapted to accommodate a syringe having a needle, an outer sleeve telescopically coupled to the body, and at least two arms hingedly coupled to the outer sleeve. Each of the arms comprises a medial portion adapted to encase at least a portion of the needle. When the body moves distally relative to said outer sleeve, the body engages the arms separating the medial portions.

In an exemplary embodiment, the at least two arms are movable apart from each other and together between a first configuration and a second configuration.

In an exemplary embodiment, the at least two arms are adapted to perform a pivoting movement or a sliding movement in radial direction between the first configuration and the second configuration.

In an exemplary embodiment, the at least two arms move apart or together against a biasing mechanism.

In an exemplary embodiment, the medial portions are initially not completely separated and connected by a weak line, plane or three dimensional structure.

In an exemplary embodiment, the body is moveable in longitudinal direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, a distal end of the body applies a force to the at least two arms when the body moves distally relative to the outer sleeve.

In an exemplary embodiment, the arms are sealed in said first configuration.

The person skilled in the art understands that the present invention is not restricted to the explained possibilities.

The above mentioned advantages as well as other advantages of various aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 to 4illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for intraocular injection according to the present invention. As shown in the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a hollow body50which is adapted to accommodate a pre-filled syringe52having a needle54at its distal end. In the exemplary embodiment, the apparatus may be an auto-injector, delivering the entire contents of the syringe52when the apparatus is activated. In another exemplary embodiment, the apparatus may be a reusable, fixed dose delivery device for administering only a portion of the contents of syringe52per injection. Those of skill in the art will understand that in another exemplary embodiment the pre-filled syringe52may be replaced by a medicament cartridge having a needle or having an interface for engaging a removable needle assembly.

The body50partially fits telescopically within an outer sleeve57. An inner housing sleeve58is coupled to a portion of the outer sleeve57. In an exemplary embodiment, the inner housing sleeve58comprises a shell59, for example formed as a hollow cylinder, coupled to the outer sleeve57and two arms61connected to shell59at opposite ends (e.g., so as to form a diameter across the shell59). Each arm61has a lateral portion hingedly coupled to the shell59(and thereby to the outer sleeve57) and a medial portion65which abuts the medial portion65of the other arm61when the arms61are in a first configuration (as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3). In the exemplary embodiment, the shell59and the arms61form an integral part but the person skilled in the art understands that alternatively the shell59and the arms61may be designed as separate parts. In the exemplary embodiment, the arms61are biased in the first configuration by, for example, a spring-loaded hinge connection to the shell59(and thereby to the outer sleeve57) or a resilient material providing a hinge-like effect.

In an exemplary embodiment, the inner housing sleeve58takes the form of a molded rubber or plastic needle cover, because in the first configuration, the medial portions65, for example half cylindrical medial portions, of the arms61encase the needle54. As shown inFIG. 1, a notch63may be formed in each of the medial portions65to provide, in the first configuration, a hole which protects the needle54.

In an exemplary embodiment, a distal end of the outer sleeve57or inner housing sleeve58may include a placement foot which is adapted for placement on a target anatomical structure, e.g., the eye. Those of skill in the art will understand that the placement foot of the exemplary embodiments may be made from an at least partially transparent material such that alignment with the eye, e.g. a periphery of the cornea, may be facilitated. Further, those of skill in the art will understand that an underside of the placement foot, for example a surface of the foot which contacts the eye may include a frictional layer or other means for gripping, without injury, the eye.

As shown in the exemplary embodiment inFIG. 2, distal movement of the body50relative to the outer sleeve57causes a distal end67of the body50to engage and apply a distally directed force on the arms61. Further distal movement of the body50causes the arms61and their medial portions65to separate into a second configuration by rotating about their respective hinged connections to the shell59, thereby exposing the needle54. Those of skill in the art will understand that distal movement of the pre-filled syringe52may be synchronized with the movement of the body50such that the arms61separate and are held apart while the syringe52continues with and then completes its travel into distal direction. In this second configuration, the needle54projects from the distal end of the apparatus and is therefore accessible for providing an injection into, e.g., the eye.

Thus, this exemplary embodiment of the apparatus provides an automatic means for removing the needle cover prior to the injection.

In an exemplary embodiment, when the needle54is withdrawn and the outer body50moves proximally relative to the outer sleeve57, the biasing force on the arms61returns the arms61return to the first configuration, encasing the needle54and preventing needle-stick injury.

FIGS. 3 and 4show the inner housing sleeve58in the first configuration (as inFIG. 1) and in the second configuration (as inFIG. 2) without the other parts of the apparatus or syringe52.

In another embodiment the inner housing sleeve58may be molded such that the arms61of this sleeve are initially not completely separated. In this embodiment the downward movement of the body50and/or syringe52completes the separation of the two arms61, for example by tearing along specially designed weak planes, as well as moves the two arms61apart. The advantage of this embodiment is that protection and sealing of the needle54can be more reliably achieved.

Now, using the apparatus within the second configuration the medicament may be administered to the eye.

When the apparatus has been properly placed on the eye, the physician may depress a plunger or similar depressable element coupled to the body50and/or the syringe52which advances the syringe52distally together with the body50towards the injection site. Then a medicament may be delivered to the predetermined region of the eye.