DRUG DELIVERY DEVICES AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE

PURPOSE: The invention provides a heat equilibration process for the manufacture of drug delivery devices which eliminates the need to preload the body contacting layer with a drug. CONSTITUTION: An improved method for manufacturing a drug delivery device has more than one layer containing a concentration of drug in excess of saturation which method comprises: forming a device comprising at least one layer initially containing drug in excess of saturation and at least one other layer initially free of drug in excess of saturation; subjecting the device to an elevated temperature for a predetermined period of time sufficient to cause a predetermined amount of a drug to migrate from the layer initially containing drug in excess of saturation into the other layers of the device that are initially free of drug in excess of saturation; and rapidly cooling the device to ambient conditions. 본 발명은 경피 약물 송달 장치를 제조하는 개선된 방법 및 그로부터 제조된 장치에 관한 것이다. 본 발명은 신체 접촉층에 약물을 미리 부하할 필요를 없애는 약물 송달 장치를 제조하기 위해 열평형 방법을 제공한다. 상기 방법은 약물을 포화 과량으로 함유하는 약물 저장소를 포함하는 경피 약물 송달 장치의 제조에 특별히 적용된다.