Sustained release delivery system

Claim 1

A device for the prolonged administration of a substance into a fluid environment, comprising: a hollow body member having an interior chamber, and provided with an opening in fluid communication with the exterior of said body, said body made from a material which maintains its integrity during the administering period; and a plurality of serially arranged partitions positioned within said interior chamber said partitions made from a material which is degraded during the administering period upon exposure to the fluid environment exterior to said body, said partitions each releasing a dosage of the substance to be administered upon degradation of the partition, and arranged in an order to be contacted and degraded sequentially by fluid entering said opening thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the first environment.

Claim 2

A device for the prolonged administration of a substance into a fluid environment, comprising: a hollow body member having an interior chamber, and provided with an opening in fluid communication with the exterior of said body, said body made from a material which maintains its integrity during the administering period; and a plurality of serially arranged partitions positioned within said interior chamber said partitions made from a material which is degraded during the administering period upon exposure to the fluid environment exterior to said body, said partitions each releasing a dosage of the substance to be administered upon degradation of the partition, and arranged in an order to be contacted and degraded sequentially by fluid entering said opening thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the first environment.

Claim 3

A device for the prolonged administration of a therapeutic, additive or nutrient substance into the reticulorumen of a ruminant, comprising: an elongated hollow body having an open end and a closed end, the open end of said body establishing fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of said body, said body made from a material which maintains its integrity in the reticulorumen environment; a plurality of partitions within said interior chamber and connected to or closely fitted against the interior walls of said body, said partitions made from a material which is degraded upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, said partitions dividing said interior chamber into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of the substance to be administered, said partitions arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the reticulorumen; and retaining means at the closed end of said body to retain the device within the reticulorumen of the ruminant.

Claim 4

A device for the prolonged administration of a therapeutic, additive or nutrient substance into the reticulorumen of a ruminant, comprising: an elongated hollow body having an open end and a closed end, the open end of said body establishing fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of said body, said body made from a material which maintains its integrity in the reticulorumen environment; a plurality of partitions within said interior chamber and connected to or closely fitted against the interior walls of said body, said partitions made from a material which is degraded upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, said partitions dividing said interior chamber into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of the substance to be administered, said partitions arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the reticulorumen; and retaining means at the closed end of said body to retain the device within the reticulorumen of the ruminant.

Claim 8

A device for the prolonged administration of therapeutic, additive or nutrient substance in the reticulorumen of a ruminant, comprising an elongated hollow body having an open end and a closed end, the open end of said body establishing fluid communication between the interior and exterior of said body, said body being made from a material which maintains its integrity in the reticulorumen environment, a plurality of partitions within said interior chamber and connected to or closely fitted against the interior walls of said body, said partitions being made from a material which is degraded upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, said partitions dividing said interior chamber into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of a substance to be administered, spacers connected to or fitting closely against the interior walls of said body to keep the partitions apart, said partitions being arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the reticulorumen, and retaining means at the closed end of said body to retain the device within the reticulorumen of the ruminant.

Claim 9

A device for the prolonged administration of therapeutic, additive or nutrient substance in the reticulorumen of a ruminant, comprising an elongated hollow body having an open end and a closed end, the open end of said body establishing fluid communication between the interior and exterior of said body, said body being made from a material which maintains its integrity in the reticulorumen environment, a plurality of partitions within said interior chamber and connected to or closely fitted against the interior walls of said body, said partitions being made from a material which is degraded upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, said partitions dividing said interior chamber into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of a substance to be administered, spacers connected to or fitting closely against the interior walls of said body to keep the partitions apart, said partitions being arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment, thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the reticulorumen, and retaining means at the closed end of said body to retain the device within the reticulorumen of the ruminant.

Claim 23

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant comprising a body having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant, said body comprising a hollow interior and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and having an opening to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen, the interior comprising a serial array or stack of partitions, said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen when said body is introduced into the rumen and said opening of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates, and wherein said body is in the form of a cylinder having at least one open end, and wherein said partitions are made of cellulosic partitions disposed transversely within the interior of said body and connected to or closely fitting against the interior walls of said body, said partitions dividing said interior into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of the material useful for the growth or well-being of ruminant, and wherein spacers are provided connected to or fitting closely against the interior walls of said body to keep said partitions apart.

Claim 24

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant comprising a body having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant, said body comprising a hollow interior and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and having an opening to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen, the interior comprising a serial array or stack of partitions, said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen when said body is introduced into the rumen and said opening of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates, and wherein said body is in the form of a cylinder having at least one open end, and wherein said partitions are made of cellulosic partitions disposed transversely within the interior of said body and connected to or closely fitting against the interior walls of said body, said partitions dividing said interior into a series of compartments, each compartment containing a dosage of the material useful for the growth or well-being of ruminant, and wherein spacers are provided connected to or fitting closely against the interior walls of said body to keep said partitions apart.

Claim 35

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant comprising: a body having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant, said body comprising a hollow interior and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and an opening to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen, the interior of said body comprising a serial array or stack of partitions, said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen into which said body is introduced and said opening of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates.

Claim 36

A device for administering a biologically active substance into the digestive system of a ruminant comprising: a body having a size and weight suitable for administration to and retention in the rumen of a ruminant, said body comprising a hollow interior and provided with an exterior surface substantially inert to the fluid contents of the rumen and an opening to permit access of the fluid contents of the rumen to the interior of said body when said body is introduced into the rumen, the interior of said body comprising a serial array or stack of partitions, said partitions making up said serial array or stack being biodegradable or disintegrable upon contact with the fluid contents of the rumen into which said body is introduced and said opening of said body being positioned so as to initially permit access of said fluid contents of the rumen to only the first or end partition or end partitions making up said array or stack within said body with the result that said partitions are serially or sequentially disintegrated as each of said partitions comes into contact with the fluid contents of said rumen, said partitions releasing material useful for the growth or well-being of the ruminant as each of said partitions disintegrates.

Claim 40

The method of treating a ruminant which comprises introducing into the reticulorumen of the ruminant a device which sequentially dispenses a biologically active substance into the digestive tract of the ruminant over an extended period of time, said device having a sufficiently high specific gravity within the range of 1.5 to 7 to remain in the reticulorumen and comprising a plurality of doses of said substance separated from the fluid environment of the reticulorumen and from one another by a plurality of biodegradable barriers which are sequentially biodegraded in the reticulorumen environment thereby releasing the biologically active material into the digestive tract of the animal in successive dosages over an extended period of time as said barriers are successively degraded by exposure to the reticulorumen environment.

Claim 41

The method of treating a ruminant which comprises introducing into the reticulorumen of the ruminant a device which sequentially dispenses a biologically active substance into the digestive tract of the ruminant over an extended period of time, said device having a sufficiently high specific gravity within the range of 1.5 to 7 to remain in the reticulorumen and comprising a plurality of doses of said substance separated from the fluid environment of the reticulorumen and from one another by a plurality of biodegradable barriers which are sequentially biodegraded in the reticulorumen environment thereby releasing the biologically active material into the digestive tract of the animal in successive dosages over an extended period of time as said barriers are successively degraded by exposure to the reticulorumen environment.

Claim 42

The method of dispensing a substance into a fluid environment in sequential dosages over an extended period of time which comprises introducing into said fluid environment a physically and chemically stable hollow tubular member open at one end and substantially closed at the other and comprising a plurality of doses of said substances separated by a stacked array of partitions within the interior of said tubular member, said partitions comprising a material which is degraded upon exposure to the fluid environment arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the fluid environment thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the said environment.

Claim 43

The method of dispensing a substance into a fluid environment in sequential dosages over an extended period of time which comprises introducing into said fluid environment a physically and chemically stable hollow tubular member open at one end and substantially closed at the other and comprising a plurality of doses of said substances separated by a stacked array of partitions within the interior of said tubular member, said partitions comprising a material which is degraded upon exposure to the fluid environment arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially upon exposure to the fluid environment thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of the substance into the said environment.

Claim 45

A device for the prolonged administration of a biologically active substance into the body of a live animal which comprises: a non-biodegradable hollow cylindrical body member open at one end, a plurality of biodegradable partitions positioned within said body member dividing the interior thereof into a series of compartments, and a dosage of said biologically active substance in each compartment, said partitions arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially in the biological environment within the body thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of said biologically active substance into the live animal.

Claim 46

A device for the prolonged administration of a biologically active substance into the body of a live animal which comprises: a non-biodegradable hollow cylindrical body member open at one end, a plurality of biodegradable partitions positioned within said body member dividing the interior thereof into a series of compartments, and a dosage of said biologically active substance in each compartment, said partitions arranged in an order to be degraded sequentially in the biological environment within the body thereby releasing sequentially the dosages of said biologically active substance into the live animal.

Claim 47

A device for the administration of a biologically active substance to a ruminant over an extended period of time which comprises, a non-biodegradable elongated hollow body member open at one end and weighted at the other, a plurality of biodegradable barriers within said body forming a plurality of closed compartments each containing a dosage of a substance to be administered to the ruminant by introduction into the reticulorumen of the ruminant, said barriers arranged in an order to disintegrate sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment thereby releasing sequentially the doses of the substance into the digestive tract of the ruminant.

Claim 48

A device for the administration of a biologically active substance to a ruminant over an extended period of time which comprises, a non-biodegradable elongated hollow body member open at one end and weighted at the other, a plurality of biodegradable barriers within said body forming a plurality of closed compartments each containing a dosage of a substance to be administered to the ruminant by introduction into the reticulorumen of the ruminant, said barriers arranged in an order to disintegrate sequentially upon exposure to the reticulorumen environment thereby releasing sequentially the doses of the substance into the digestive tract of the ruminant.