ULTRASOUND ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH LIGHT ACTIVATED DRUGS

• US 20030157024A1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gary Lichttenegger, James Robert Anderson, Katsuro Tachibana, Shunro Tachibana
• Original Assignee: Gary Lichttenegger, James Robert Anderson, Katsuro Tachibana, Shunro Tachibana
• Inventors: Lichttenegger, Gary, Tachibana, Katsuro, Tachibana, Shunro, Anderson, James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/305,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20030157024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/9.52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00853 low friction, hydrophobic and corrosion-resistant fluorocarbon resin coating (ptf, ptfe, polytetrafluoroethylene)
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22002 preventing restenosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22021 electric leads passing through the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22062 to be filled with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22088 ultrasound absorbing, drug activated by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0047 Sonopheresis, i.e. ultrasonically-enhanced transdermal delivery, electroporation of a pharmacologically active agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0092 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

A kit and method for causing tissue death within a tissue site is disclosed. The kit includes a media with a light activated drug activatable upon exposure to a particular level of ultrasound energy. The kit also includes a catheter with a lumen coupled with a media delivery port through which the light activated drug can be locally delivered to the tissue site. The ultrasound transducer is configured to transmit the level of ultrasound energy which activates the light activated drug with sufficient power that the ultrasound energy can penetrate the tissue site.

Claims

1. A method for releasing a therapeutic from a microbubble, comprising:

providing a microbubble with a light activated drug; and

delivering ultrasound energy to the microbubble at a frequency and intensity which activates the light activated drug to cause a rupture of the microbubble.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the microbubble is a liposome.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the light activated drug is the therapeutic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the microbubble includes a therapeutic in addition to the light activate drug.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the light activated drug is coupled with a shell of the microbubble.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the light activated drug is enclosed within the light activated drug.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the light activated drug is included in a media outside the light activated drug.

8. A microbubble, comprising:

a substrate defining a shell of the microbubble and having a thickness permitting hydraulic transport of the microbubble;

a light activated drug activatable upon exposure to ultrasound energy, activation of the light activated drug causing a disruption in the shell sufficient to cause a rupture of the microbubble; and

a therapeutic releasable from the microbubble upon rupture of the microbubble to yield a therapeutic effect.