Opioid addiction has become an epidemic in the U.S. Many patients who were prescribed opioid drugs to treat pain became addicted. Others illegally acquire opioid drugs. The result is the same- ruined lives and overdose deaths- over 100,000 in 2021! In addition to the opioid crisis, there are all the Americans- especially older citizens- who are on prescription drugs, but forget to take a prescribed drug, or forget they took the drug and accidentally double-dose. There has to be a technology by which a prescribed drug is made available to a patient when he or she needs it, and at no other time. There must be a technology that prevents a patient accidentally or purposely- from under-dosing or over-dosing!
This five-patent portfolio addresses this issue head-on by creating a smart pill dispenser that will hold any number of pills to match a prescription 30, for example, if the pill is to be taken once a day for one month- that are held in a two-piece clamshell cover. At a time interval determined by the prescriber of the drug, a motor unlocks the container so it can be advanced to expose the next dose of medication. The patient takes that pill and nothing happens until it is time for the next dose. The patient cannot advance to the next pill until the time interval has passed, so he or she cannot overdose. While the technology applies to any prescription drug, it is especially valuable to patients taking potentially addictive drugs as it prevents them from taking more than the prescribed dose. Additionally, data capture of the usage of potentially addictive medications can be used to determine prescribing patterns. Better packaging of prescribed medications can also prevent children from having access to an entire bottle of medication with disastrous consequences.
This portfolio includes five U.S. patents:
- U.S. Patent No. 9,283,150: Pill dispensing system
- U.S. Patent No. 10,653,584: Tablet and capsule dispensing assembly
- U.S. Patent No. 10,772,805: Tablet and capsule dispensing assembly
- U.S. Patent No. 11,053,065: Tablet and capsule dispensing assembly
- U.S. Patent No. 11,116,698: Method of installing and removing a rotation mechanism within pill dispensing assemblies
This portfolio will enable a drug packaging or pharmaceuticals manufacturer to offer a practical, affordable, and effective solution to overdosing of opioid and other addictive drugs, as well as packaging that will help older patients keep track of the drugs they took and need to take, and prevent a drug from being taken by children. The portfolio also includes claims that significantly reduce manufacturing costs. Proof-of-concept models are available upon request from the invention team.
This portfolio is represented by IPOfferings LLC, a leading patent broker. In addition to patent brokerage, IPOfferings provides patent valuation and intellectual property consulting services . IPOfferings also has patents for sale listed in 32 Technology Sections at the Patent Marketplace at its website. For more information, go to www.IPOfferings.com or contact IPOfferings at patents@IPOfferings.com.
