Microporation of tissue for delivery of bioactive agents
First Claim
1. A device for treating skin on the body of a subject, comprising:
- a plurality of receiving electrodes, which are adapted to be placed in contact with the skin so as to provide electrical contact with the skin;
a driving electrode, which is adapted to be passed across the receiving electrodes so as to create electrical contact with a first one of the receiving electrodes prior to creating electrical contact with a second one of the receiving electrodes; and
a power source, which is adapted to drive the driving electrode to apply a first current to the first receiving electrode when the driving electrode is in electrical contact with the first receiving electrode, and to apply a second current to the second receiving electrode when the driving electrode is in electrical contact with the second receiving electrode, wherein the power source is adapted to drive the driving electrode to apply the first and second currents to the first and second receiving electrodes, respectively, and therethrough into stratum corneum of the skin at a magnitude sufficient to ablate the stratum corneum of the skin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of enhancing the permeability of a biological membrane, including the skin or mucosa of an animal or the outer layer of a plant to a permeant is described utilizing microporation of selected depth and optionally one or more of sonic, electromagnetic, mechanical and thermal energy and a chemical enhancer. Microporation is accomplished to form a micropore of selected depth in the biological membrane and the porated site is contacted with the permeant. Additional permeation enhancement measures may be applied to the site to enhance both the flux rate of the permeant into the organism through the micropores as well as into targeted tissues within the organism.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A device for treating skin on the body of a subject, comprising:
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a plurality of receiving electrodes, which are adapted to be placed in contact with the skin so as to provide electrical contact with the skin;
a driving electrode, which is adapted to be passed across the receiving electrodes so as to create electrical contact with a first one of the receiving electrodes prior to creating electrical contact with a second one of the receiving electrodes; and
a power source, which is adapted to drive the driving electrode to apply a first current to the first receiving electrode when the driving electrode is in electrical contact with the first receiving electrode, and to apply a second current to the second receiving electrode when the driving electrode is in electrical contact with the second receiving electrode, wherein the power source is adapted to drive the driving electrode to apply the first and second currents to the first and second receiving electrodes, respectively, and therethrough into stratum corneum of the skin at a magnitude sufficient to ablate the stratum corneum of the skin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A device for ablating stratum corneum epidermidis of skin on the body of a subject, comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes, which are adapted to be applied to the skin of the subject at respective points; and
a power source, which is adapted to apply electrical energy to the plurality of the electrodes so as to induce an electrical current to flow through the stratum corneum, causing ablation of narrow channels through the stratum corneum at the respective points. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A device for ablating stratum corneum epidermidis of skin on the body of a subject, comprising:
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a housing having a surface that defines a storage region adapted to store an active substance;
a plurality of electrodes, which are adapted to be applied to the skin of the subject at respective points; and
a power source, which is adapted to apply electrical energy between two or more of the plurality of electrodes, to cause ablation of an area of the stratum corneum during a first time period, so as to facilitate passage of the active substance through the ablated area during a second time period, subsequent to the first time period. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A device for ablating stratum corneum epidermidis of skin of a subject, comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes, which are adapted to be applied to the skin of the subject at respective points, such that two of the electrodes are spaced less than about 0.3 mm apart;
a housing having a surface that defines a storage region adapted to store an active substance; and
a power source, which is adapted to apply electrical energy between the two electrodes applied to the skin to cause ablation of the stratum corneum, so as to facilitate passage of the active substance through the skin. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification