IP Library Granted Patent US 12,521,492
Granted Patent B2
US 12,521,492 · App. 18/333,060 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Communication accessory for a drug delivery device

Inventors: Christopher Gregory (Hopkinton, MA); Geoffrey Jenkins (Dartmouth, MA); Matthew Johnson (Boylston, MA)
Assignee: MannKind Corporation
A61M5/3158G16H20/17A61M2005/3125A61M2205/3306A61M2205/3317A61M2205/3553A61M2205/3561
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,521,492
App. No.
18/333,060
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A medicament delivery assembly comprises a delivery device configured to deliver medicament to a user, a communication accessory releasably coupled to the delivery device, and one or more sensors configured to sense a condition of the delivery device. The communication accessory may be configured to receive a first signal from the one or more sensors assembly and to send a second signal to an external device.

Claims (44)

1 . A communication accessory comprising:

a top surface and two opposed sidewalls extending from the top surface, the two opposed sidewalls configured to clip onto a top surface and corresponding sidewalls of a medicament delivery device, wherein the medicament delivery device includes a patch; and

a sensor positioned on one of the two opposed side walls and configured to sense a condition of the medicament delivery device,

wherein the sensor is configured to sense activation of a bolus delivery button via a bolus delivery button indicator from the medicament delivery device,

wherein the communication accessory is configured to releasably couple to the medicament delivery device, and

wherein the communication accessory is configured to receive a first signal from the sensor and to send a second signal to an external device.

2 . The communication accessory of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense at least one of a model of the medicament delivery device, a movement of a bolus delivery trigger, and a battery status of the medicament delivery device.

3 . The communication accessory of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more additional sensors configured to sense at least a second condition of the medicament delivery device.

4 . The communication accessory of claim 3 , wherein the one or more additional sensors are positioned on a bottom surface of the medicament delivery device.

5 . The communication accessory of claim 3 , wherein the one or more additional sensors are generally parallel with one of the two opposed sidewalls.

6 . The communication accessory of claim 1 , wherein one of the two opposed sidewalls includes a cutout.

7 . The communication accessory of claim 6 further comprising:

a lip adjacent the cutout.

8 . The communication accessory of claim 1 further comprising:

a rear wall and a relief between the rear wall and one of the two opposed sidewalls.

9 . The communication accessory of claim 1 further comprising:

a processor configured to determine at least one of a number of boluses delivered, a number of boluses remaining, delivery of a dose of medicament from a medicament chamber of the medicament delivery device, and a number of doses of medicament remaining in the medicament chamber.

10 . The communication accessory of claim 1 further comprising:

a memory, wherein the communication accessory is configured to store the first signal in the memory as a saved signal.

11 . The communication accessory of claim 1 , wherein the communication accessory is configured to send the second signal to the external device via a wireless connection.

12 . The communication accessory of claim 1 , wherein the communication accessory is configured to be reused.

13 . The communication accessory of claim 1 further comprising:

an unobstructed opening extending through the top surface of the communication accessory forming a window,

wherein the opening is configured align with a window of the medicament delivery device.

14 . The communication accessory of claim 1 , wherein the communication accessory is configured to couple to a plurality of models of the medicament delivery device.

15 . The communication accessory of claim 3 , wherein the one or more additional sensors are configured to detect a volume of fluid or medicament in a medicament chamber of the medicament delivery device.

16 . The communication accessory of claim 3 , wherein the one or more additional sensors are configured to optically detect a position of a plunger in a medicament chamber of the medicament delivery device.

17 . The communication accessory of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of engagement features,

wherein the engagement features are protrusions on one side of the communication accessory and recesses on another side of the communication accessory such that the communication accessory can only be coupled to the medicament delivery device in one orientation.

18 . The communication accessory of claim 3 , wherein the communication accessory is configured to transmit timing information related to the second condition to the external device.

19 . The communication accessory of claim 3 , wherein the communication accessory is configured to communicate with a software application on the external device.

20 . A communication accessory comprising:

a top surface;

two opposed sidewalls extending from the top surface;

an end wall extending from the top surface;

a sensor positioned on one of the two opposed side walls;

a plurality of accessory engagement features including a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses on an inner surface of the two opposed sidewalls that couple with a plurality of housing engagement features on a housing of a medicament delivery device, wherein the medicament delivery device includes a patch;

a relief formed where the sidewalls meet the end wall that allow the sidewalls and end wall to move relative to each other as the communication accessory is coupled to the medicament delivery device;

a lip that protrudes away from a surface of each of the sidewalls and provides a gripping surface;

a circuit board coupled to a battery that includes electronic components necessary for the communication accessory to receive one or more signals from the sensor and communicate the signals to an external device,

wherein the communication accessory has a concave shape;

wherein the sensor is configured to sense activation of a bolus delivery button via a bolus delivery button indicator from the medicament delivery device.

Assignments (4)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 12, 2025
From: MANNKIND CORPORATION
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072445/0769 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2023
From: JOHNSON, MATTHEW; GREGORY, CHRISTOPHER; JENKINS, GEOFFREY
To: VALERITAS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064684/0498 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2023
From: VALERITAS, INC.
To: ZEALAND PHARMA A/S
Reel/Frame 064684/0741 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2023
From: ZEALAND PHARMA A/S
To: MANNKIND CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064684/0842 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16627577
Provisional Application 62532763 · Jul 14, 2017
Related Publication 20230321359A1 · Oct 12, 2023
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