Electrotransport delivery device with voltage boosting circuit

• US 20050075623A1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: ALZA Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Badzinski, John D., Riddle, Thomas A., McNichols, Larry A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,708,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/501
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0448 Drug reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/30 Apparatus for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body, or cataphoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

An electrotransport device (10) for delivering therapeutic agents includes an adjustable voltage boos multiple controller (100, 200) for boosting the voltage from a power source (102, 202) to a working voltage V_W having a value just sufficient to provide the desired therapeutic current level I_I through the electrodes (108, 112), at least of which contains the therapeutic agent to be delivered.

Claims

1. A method of regulating an electrotransport system for delivering a beneficial agent through an animal skin surface by supplying a load voltage and load current across a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly using an electrical power source, comprising:

generating the load voltage;

boosting the load voltage;

determining a load resistance between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly; and

adjusting the load voltage based on the load resistance such that at steady state a predetermined level of current is maintained across the first and second electrode assemblies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the load resistance comprises sensing a feedback value from a current sensing resistor coupled to the second electrode assembly.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein adjusting the load voltage comprises determining a current passing through the current sensing resistor from the feedback value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the load voltage is boosted when the current passing through the current sensing resistor is lower than the predetermined level of current.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated load voltage follows a predetermined current-time profile.