Iontophoresis device controlling administration amount and administration period of plurality of drugs

• US 20070021711A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TTI Ellebeau, Inc. (Ease Asset Management Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Transcutaneous Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Nakayama, Mizuo, Matsumura, Akihiko, Matsumura, Takehiko, Akiyama, Hidero, Shibata, Tsutomu
• Application Number:
  US11/473,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0444 Membrane
• 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

Abstract

An iontophoresis device capable of administering a plurality of drugs to a living body while controlling the administration amounts and the administration periods thereof is described. The iontophoresis device may comprise: a power source device; a drug administration unit connected to the power source device and including at least two electrode structures that hold an ionic drug; and a current control unit that individually controls currents flowing to the electrode structures. A predetermined amount of the ionic drug may be released from each of the electrode structures to be administered transdermally to a living body in a predetermined period of time according to a current flowing from the current control unit.

Claims

1. An iontophoresis device comprising:

a power source device;

a drug administration unit coupled to the power source device and comprising at least a first electrode structure and a second electrode structure that each hold an ionic drug; and

a current control unit that individually controls currents flowing to the first and the second electrode structures,

wherein a predetermined amount of the ionic drug is released from each of the first and the second electrode structures to be administered transdermally to a living body in a predetermined period of time according to a current flowing from the current control unit.

2. An iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein the drug administration unit further comprises at least a third electrode structure that does not hold an ionic drug as a counter electrode to the first and the second electrode structures.

3. An iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein:

the first electrode structure comprises;

an electrode having the same polarity as that of a drug component of the ionic drug in the electrode structure, the electrode being connected to the power source device;

an electrolyte solution holding portion impregnated with an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution holding portion being placed adjacent to the electrode;

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having a polarity opposite to that of a charged ion of the ionic drug, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the electrolyte solution holding portion;

a drug holding portion impregnated with the ionic drug, the drug holding portion being placed adjacent to the ion exchange membrane; and

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having the same polarity as that of a charged ion of the ionic drug, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the drug holding portion; and

the third electrode structure comprises;

an electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the electrode of the first electrode structure;

an electrolyte solution holding portion impregnated with an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution holding portion being placed adjacent to the electrode; and

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having a polarity opposite to that of a charged ion of the ionic drug in the first electrode structure, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the electrolyte solution holding portion.

4. An iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein:

the first electrode structure comprises;

an electrode having the same polarity as that of a drug component of the ionic drug in the electrode structure, the electrode being connected to the power source device;

an electrolyte solution holding portion impregnated with an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution holding portion being placed adjacent to the electrode;

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having a polarity opposite to that of a charged ion of the ionic drug, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the electrolyte solution holding portion;

a drug holding portion impregnated with the ionic drug, the drug holding portion being placed adjacent to the ion exchange membrane; and

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having the same polarity as that of a charged ion of the ionic drug, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the drug holding portion; and

wherein

the third electrode structure comprises;

an electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the electrode in the first electrode structure;

an electrolyte solution holding portion impregnated with an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution holding portion being placed adjacent to the electrode;

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having the same polarity as that of a charged ion of the ionic drug in the first electrode structure, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the electrolyte solution holding portion;

an electrolyte solution holding portion impregnated with an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution holding portion being placed adjacent to the ion exchange membrane; and

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having a polarity opposite to that of a charged ion of the ionic drug in the first electrode structure, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the electrolyte solution holding portion.

5. An iontophoresis device according to claim 2, wherein:

the first electrode structure comprises;

an electrode having the same polarity as that of a drug component of the ionic drug in the electrode structure, the electrode being connected to the power source device;

an electrolyte solution holding portion impregnated with an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution holding portion being placed adjacent to the electrode;

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having a polarity opposite to that of a charged ion of the ionic drug in the first electrode structure, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the electrolyte solution holding portion;

a drug holding portion impregnated with the ionic drug, the drug holding portion being placed adjacent to the ion exchange membrane; and

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having the same polarity as that of a charged ion of the ionic drug in the first electrode structure, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the drug holding portion; and

the third electrode structure comprises;

an electrode having a polarity opposite to that of the electrode of the first electrode structure;

an electrolyte solution holding portion impregnated with an electrolyte solution, the electrolyte solution holding portion being placed adjacent to the electrode;

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having a polarity opposite to that of a charged ion of the ionic drug in the second electrode structure, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the electrolyte solution holding portion;

a drug holding portion impregnated with an ionic drug, the drug holding portion being placed adjacent to the ion exchange membrane; and

an ion exchange membrane that selectively passes ions having the same polarity as that of a charged ion of the ionic drug in the second electrode structure, the ion exchange membrane being placed adjacent to the drug holding portion.

6. An iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein the drug administration unit is configured integrally.

7. An iontophoresis device according to claim 1, wherein the current control unit comprises a load resistor provided between the electrode structure and the power source device, a current detecting portion that detects a current flowing to the load resistor, and a feedback control portion that allows a controlled current to flow to the electrode structure.

8. A method of operating the iontophoresis comprising a power source device, a drug administration unit coupled to the power source device and comprising at least a first and a second electrode structure that each hold an ionic drug, and a control unit that individually controls a current flow to each of the electrode structures, the method comprising:

placing the drug administration unit on a skin surface of a living body;

passing a current through the drug administration unit from the power source device;

individually controlling currents flowing to the electrode structures with the current control unit; and

releasing a predetermined amount of the ionic drug from each of the electrode structures in a predetermined period of time.