Patent ID: 7862543

Claim:
A drug delivery device comprising: (i) a housing including an upper barrel and a lower barrel; (ii) a means for generating a force capable of pushing a drug from a packaging into a human or animal body; (iii) said upper barrel being at one end of the device; (iv) said upper barrel housing the force generating means; (v) said lower barrel ( 30 ) being at a second end of the device remote from said upper barrel which includes a means ( 20 ) for transmitting said force to push the drug ( 16 ) from the packaging ( 18 ) into the human or animal body, a sliding piston ( 48 ) and a means ( 22 ) for slidably receiving a packaged drug ( 100 ) configured such that a packaged drug attached thereto can slide within the device and act against said piston in the device to prime it; (vi) a means for triggering the device wherein said force generating means and said force transmitting means are configured to push the drug from the packaging into the human or animal body at a velocity of less than 20 m/s; (vii) said lower barrel being in operative communication with said upper barrel and said packaged drug; and (viii) wherein the packaged drug is slidably disposed in said lower barrel and comprises a packaging containing a drug, said packaging comprising a two-piece housing having a channel running therethrough in which is disposed a drive pin or other element, a skin piercing means and the drug; said two-piece housing further comprising i) a region allowing the packaged drug to be slidably mounted to the drug delivery device at a receiving means; and ii) an end adapted to engage and tension the skin; and (ix) a resilient means below or otherwise in association with the drive pin or other elements to ensure the drive pin is withdrawn after use.