BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Nitric oxide gas has an antimicrobial effect and when safely administered can be used as a therapeutic treatment of microbial infection in a subject. While many systems have been described for the use of nitric oxide in clinical settings, these systems are designed for the delivery of nitric oxide gas to the subject in a way that requires the subject to remain stationary for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, many instances where treatment of nitric oxide would be particularly beneficial do not allow for the subject to be stationary or immobilized for the length of time needed to receive an effective dosage of nitric oxide gas.

For example, one such instance is in the cattle industry, where Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDc) continues to be the most common disease in feeder beef cattle in North America, affecting 20-40% of receiver calves annually. Production losses from BRDc include respiratory morbidity and mortality as well as increased treatment and processing cost. Its pathogenicity has been linked to a primary viral infection followed by a secondary bacterial infection.

While the incidence of BRDc has been shown to be reduced in animals treated with a suitable dosage of nitric oxide gas, effective commercialization of such therapy remains infeasible due to administration time constraints. Accordingly, there exists a need for a device, system, and method to quickly and efficiently deliver an effective dose of a nitric oxide gas.

The background of the disclosure is described herein to explain the context of the present invention. This is not to be taken as an admission or a suggestion that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains, in the United States or in any other country, as at the priority date of any of the claims.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one aspect, devices for intranasal administration of fluids are provided. In some embodiments, an intranasal administration device for a veterinary subject comprises a first support member portion including a septum interface portion sized for insertion into a nasal passage of the veterinary subject; an actuation mechanism connected to the first support member portion; and a fluid conduit having a distal end opposite a supported end, the distal end sized for insertion into the nasal passage of the veterinary subject, the fluid conduit being flexible and configured to receive fluid from a fluid source and discharge the fluid through the distal end into the nasal passage, the distal end of the fluid conduit being unsupported and movable relative to the septum interface portion.

In some embodiments, an intranasal administration device for a veterinary subject comprises a first member pivotally coupled to a second member, each of the first member and the second member including an arm, wherein the arm of the first member is pivotally coupled to the arm of the second member; a handle portion coupled to and extending proximally from the arm; and a jaw coupled to and extending distally from the arm and having a distal end, wherein the distal end of the jaw of the first member and the distal end of the jaw of the second member are configured to clamp the nasal septum of a veterinary subject; a fluid conduit supported by the first member and having a distal end detached from the distal end of the jaw of the first member; and a second fluid conduit supported by the second member and having a distal end detached from the distal end of the jaw of the second member. When the intranasal administration device is clamped to the nasal septum the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit extend past a flow constriction formed by the alar folds and the basal folds of the veterinary subject to deliver a fluid into the veterinary subject.

In another aspect, a method to deliver a fluid intranasally to a veterinary subject is provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises opening jaws of an intranasal administration device, the intranasal administration device comprising fluid conduits; inserting the jaws and the fluid conduits into the nostrils of the veterinary subject; clamping the nasal septum of the veterinary subject with the jaws to retain the fluid conduits in the nose of the veterinary subject; and discharging a fluid through the fluid conduits. The animal intranasal administration device can include a first support member pivotally coupled to a second support member, each of the first support member and the second support member including an arm, wherein the arm of the first support member is pivotally coupled to the arm of the second support member; a handle portion coupled to and extending proximally from the arm; a jaw coupled to and extending distally from the arm, wherein the jaw of the first support member and the jaw of the second support member are configured to clamp the nasal septum of an animal; a first fluid conduit supported by the first support member and having a distal end; and a second fluid conduit supported by the second support member and having a distal end, wherein when the animal intranasal administration device is clamped to the nasal septum the first fluid conduit and the second fluid extend past a flow constriction formed by the alar fold and the basal fold of the animal to deliver a fluid into the nasopharynx of the animal.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, various features of the invention so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and so that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Other features of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying claims.

