Delivery device and method
A delivery device for and method of delivering substance, in particular a vaccine, to a mucosal surface within the oral cavity of a subject, the device comprising: a mouthpiece unit to be gripped in the mouth of a subject, wherein the mouthpiece unit is configured such that, on exhalation or attempted exhalation by the subject, a pressure is developed in the oral cavity which is such as to close the oropharyngeal velum of the subject; and an oral outlet unit including at least one outlet from which substance is in use delivered to a mucosal surface within the oral cavity of the subject.
1. A method of delivering a substance to an oral cavity of a subject, the method comprising:
fitting a mouthpiece unit to a mouth of the subject;
causing the subject to exhale through the mouthpiece unit, thereby causing closure of an oropharyngeal velum of the subject; and
delivering the substance from at least one substance outlet of an oral outlet unit into the oral cavity of the subject.
2. The method of claim 1 , further including causing the subject to suck a sucker element, wherein the sucker element is configured to fix the position of the at least one substance outlet relative to a hard palate of the subject.
3. The method of claim 1 , further including delivering a reflex-inducing fluid to the subject.
4. The method of claim 3 , further including delivering the substance and the reflex-inducing fluid at the same time.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reflex-inducing fluid is air.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the reflex-inducing fluid is water.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substance is a medicament.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substance is a vaccine.
9. The method of claim 1 , further including delivering the substance to palatine tonsils of the subject.
10. The method of claim 1 , further including delivering the substance to a mucosal surface within the oral cavity of the subject.
11. A method of delivering a substance to an oral cavity of a subject, the method comprising:
gripping a mouthpiece unit in a mouth of the subject, wherein the mouthpiece unit includes a mouthpiece and a tongue depressor coupled to the mouthpiece;
inserting the tongue depressor to depress the tongue of the subject, the tongue depressor connected to an oral outlet unit comprising at least one substance outlet;
exhaling through the mouthpiece, the exhalation causing closure of an oropharyngeal velum of the subject; and
delivering the substance from the at least one substance outlet into the oral cavity of the subject.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the substance is a medicament.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the substance is a vaccine.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the tongue depressor is movable relative to the mouthpiece.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the oral outlet unit is positioned to deliver the substance to palatine tonsils of the subject.
16. The method of claim 11 , further including delivering a reflex-inducing fluid to the subject.
17. The method of claim 16 , further including delivering the substance and the reflex-inducing fluid at the same time.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the reflex-inducing fluid is air.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the reflex-inducing fluid is water.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the substance is a powder.