Transdermal transport device with an electrolytic actuator

• US 20030083618A1
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Hunter, Ian W., Angel, Aimee B., Madden, Peter
• Application Number:
  US10/277,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083618A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/141
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1405 Patient controlled analgesia [PCA]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1581 Right-angle needle-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0023 Drug applicators using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/003 having a lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0038 having a channel at the side surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/155 pressurised by gas introduced into the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/425 Protruding skin to facilitate piercing, e.g. vacuum cylinders, vein immobilising means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

A transdermal transport device includes a reservoir for holding a formulation of an active principle, a needle with a bore through which the formulation is transported between the reservoir and a target area of a biological body, and an electrolytic actuator which pumps the formulation through the bore.

Claims

1. A transdermal transport device, comprising:

a reservoir for holding a formulation of an active principle;

a needle having a bore through which the formulation is transported between the reservoir and a target area of a biological body; and

an electrolytic actuator which pumps the formulation through the bore.

2. The transdermal transport device of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional needles, each additional needle having a bore through which the formulation is transported.

3. The transdermal transport device of claim 1 wherein the electrolytic actuator includes a chamber that contains a liquid with an initial volume of between about 1 μ

l to 1 ml.

4. The transdermal transport device of claim 3 wherein the electrolytic actuator generates an electrolytic process that results in a volume change in the chamber of over three orders of magnitude from the initial volume.

5. The transdermal transport device of claim 3 wherein the chamber contracts to collect a sample from the target area.

6. The transdermal transport device of claim 1 wherein the actuator includes a pair of electrodes to which a current is applied to initiate the electrolytic process.

7. The transdermal transport device of claim 6 wherein the electrodes are made of stainless steel.

8. The transdermal transport device of claim 6 wherein the electrodes are made of platinum.

9. The transdermal transport device of claim 6 wherein the electrodes are made of platinum/iridium gauze.

10. The transdermal transport device of claim 6 wherein the electrodes are configured as a mesh.

11. The transdermal transport device of claim 6 wherein about 0.01 A are applied to the electrodes to initiate the electrolytic process.

12. A transdermal transport device, comprising:

a reservoir for holding a formulation of an active principle;

an array with two or more needles, each needle having a bore through which the formulation is transported between the reservoir and a target area of a biological body; and

an electrolytic actuator having a chamber containing a liquid with an initial volume of about 1 μ

l to 1 ml, the electrolytic actuator initiating an electrolytic process in the liquid which causes the volume of the chamber to expand over three orders of magnitude from the initial volume.

13. A transdermal transport device, comprising:

a means for a means driving an array of two or more needles into a target area of a biological body, each needle having a bore through which a formulation of an active principle is transported to and from the target area; and

a means for generating an electrolytic process to pump the liquid formulation through the bores.

14. A method for pumping a formulation of an active principle between a target area of a biological body, comprising:

penetrating the target area of the body with an array of needles, each needle having a bore through which the formulation is transported to and from the target area; and

activating an electrolytic process actuator which pumps the liquid formulation through the bores.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein activating the electrolytic actuator includes expanding a chamber of the actuator so that the volume of the chamber increases over three orders of magnitude from an initial volume.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising contracting the chamber to collect a sample from the target area through the bores of the needles.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein activating the electrolytic process includes applying about 0.01 A to a pair of electrodes of the actuator.

18. A method for pumping a formulation of an active principle to and from a biological body, comprising:

penetrating a target area of the body with an array of needles, each needle having a bore through which the formulation is transported to and from the target area; and

activating an electrolytic process in a chamber of an actuator, the chamber containing a liquid with an initial volume of about 1 μ

l to 1 ml, the electrolytic process causing the volume of the chamber to expand over three orders of magnitude from the initial volume.