Iontophoresis device to deliver active agents to biological interfaces
First Claim
1. An iontophoresis device for delivering one or more active agents to a biological interface, comprising:
- an-active-electrode element;
an outermost active electrode ion selective membrane spaced from the active electrode element, the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane comprising a plurality of interstices;
one or more active agents of a first polarity loaded in the interstices of the outermost active ionic selective membrane and substantially retained therein in the absence of an electromotive force and transferred outwardly from the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane in the presence of an electromotive force;
an electrolyte positioned between the active electrode element and the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane; and
a first inner active electrode ion selective membrane characterized in that in the presence of an electromotive force of the first polarity, the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane passes ions of a polarity that is opposite to the first polarity and that have a size approximately less than a threshold size, and in that in the presence of the electromotive force of the first polarity the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane limits passage of ions of a polarity that is the same as the first polarity such that a fraction of a total charge flux across the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane that is attributable to the ions of the first polarity is in the range from about 0.05 to about 0.5 of the total charge flux across the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An iontophoresis device includes an active electrode assembly which comprises an active electrode element and an outermost active electrode ion selective membrane that caches an active agent. The outermost active electrode ion selective membrane may be formed by one or more ion exchange membranes. The active electrode assembly may also comprise an electrolyte and/or one or more inner active electrode ion selective membranes. The inner active electrode ion selective membrane may be a “leaky” ion selective membrane. The inner active electrode ion exchange membrane may be spaced from the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane, for example, by one or more non-ion selective porous membranes or by a buffer material and/or buffer reservoir. An iontophoresis device may also include a counter electrode assembly and/or voltage source.
117 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An iontophoresis device for delivering one or more active agents to a biological interface, comprising:
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an-active-electrode element;
an outermost active electrode ion selective membrane spaced from the active electrode element, the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane comprising a plurality of interstices;
one or more active agents of a first polarity loaded in the interstices of the outermost active ionic selective membrane and substantially retained therein in the absence of an electromotive force and transferred outwardly from the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane in the presence of an electromotive force;
an electrolyte positioned between the active electrode element and the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane; and
a first inner active electrode ion selective membrane characterized in that in the presence of an electromotive force of the first polarity, the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane passes ions of a polarity that is opposite to the first polarity and that have a size approximately less than a threshold size, and in that in the presence of the electromotive force of the first polarity the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane limits passage of ions of a polarity that is the same as the first polarity such that a fraction of a total charge flux across the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane that is attributable to the ions of the first polarity is in the range from about 0.05 to about 0.5 of the total charge flux across the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An iontophoresis device for delivering one or more active agents to a biological interface, comprising:
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an active electrode element;
an outermost active electrode ion selective membrane spaced from the active electrode element, the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane comprising a plurality of interstices;
one or more active agents of a first polarity loaded in the interstices of the outermost active ionic selective membrane and substantially retained therein in the absence of an electromotive force and transferred outwardly from the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane in the presence of an electromotive force;
an electrolyte positioned between the active electrode element and the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane; and
a first inner active electrode ion selective membrane characterized in that in the presence of an electromotive force of the first polarity, the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane passes ions of a polarity that is opposite to the first polarity and that have a size approximately less than a threshold size, and in that in the presence of the electromotive force of the first polarity the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane limits passage of ions of a polarity that is the same as the first polarity such that passage of ions of the first polarity from the electrolyte across the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane is approximately equal to or greater than a flux of the one or more active agents of the first polarity across the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An iontophoresis device for delivering one or more active agents to a biological interface, comprising:
-
an active electrode element;
an outermost active electrode ion selective membrane spaced from the active electrode element, the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane comprising a plurality of interstices;
one or more active agents of a first polarity loaded in the interstices of the outermost active ionic selective membrane and substantially retained therein in the absence of an electromotive force and transferred outwardly from the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane in the presence of an electromotive force;
an electrolyte positioned between the active electrode element and the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane; and
a first inner active electrode ion selective membrane characterized in that in the presence of an electromotive force of the first polarity, the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane passes ions of a polarity that is opposite to the first polarity and that have a size approximately less than a threshold size, and in that in the presence of the electromotive force of the first polarity the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane limits passage of ions of a polarity that is the same as the first polarity such that passage of ions of the first polarity from the electrolyte across the first inner active electrode ion selective membrane ranges from about 600 nmol·
min−
1 to about 3000 nmol·
min−
1 when a flux of the one or more active agents of the first polarity across the outermost active electrode ion selective membrane ranges from about 600 nmol·
min−
1 to about 3000 nmol·
min−
1. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification