Controlled needle-free eye injector

• US 20070129693A1
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pfizer Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Ian, Hogan, Nora, Wendell, Dawn, Tseng, Ching-Hua, Taberner, Andrew, Hemond, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/598,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/294
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0026 Ophthalmic product dispenser attachments to facilitate positioning near the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31588 electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/427 Locating point where body is to be pierced, e.g. vein location means using ultrasonic waves, injection site templates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/482 Varying injection pressure, e.g. by varying speed of injection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/484 Regulating injection pressure

Abstract

An eye injector for transferring a substance across the surface of the eye of an animal includes a needle-free injector and a patient positioning mechanism. The needle-free injector includes a reservoir for storing the substance to be transferred, a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir; and a controllable electromagnetic actuator in communication with the reservoir. The eye injector can also include a targeting light source for directing a beam of light into a pupil of the eye. The needle-free injector can be positioned adjacent to the lens of the eye, therefore producing a jet that intersects with the beam of light at a point in the retina.

Claims

1. A delivery system for transferring a substance into an eye of an animal comprising;

a needle-free injector comprising;

a reservoir for storing the substance;

a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

an actuator in communication with the reservoir, the actuator driving the substance from the reservoir to the nozzle; and

a patient positioning mechanism to position the needle-free injector relative to an eye of a patient to direct the needle-free injector to inject a jet into the eye.

2. The delivery system of claim 1, further comprising a targeting light source that directs a beam of light through the pupil of the eye.

3. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the needle-free injector is positioned adjacent to a lens of the eye.

4. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the needle-free injector allows the depth of injection to be controlled.

5. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the substance is injected to depth of about 30 millimeters into the eye.

6. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the substance is a drug.

7. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the substance is a powder.

8. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the delivery of a substance into the eye can be made in between 30-50 milliseconds.

9. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a controllable electromagnetic actuator.

10. The delivery system of claim 2, wherein the beam of light and the jet of the needle-free injector intersect at a point at or near a retina of the eye.

11. The delivery system of claim 2, wherein the source of light is a laser.

12. The delivery system of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic actuator further comprises:

a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field; and

a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly receiving an electrical input and generating in response a force corresponding to the received input, the force resulting from interaction of an electrical current within the coil assembly and the magnetic field and causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the reservoir and the eye.

13. The delivery system of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic actuator forces the substance through the nozzle producing the jet having sufficient velocity to pierce the surface of the eye.

14. The delivery system of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic actuator is a Lorentz force actuator.

15. The delivery system of claim 12, wherein a rise-time of the generated force is less than about 5 milliseconds.

16. The delivery system of claim 12, wherein the force is of sufficient magnitude and duration to transfer a volume of up to at least about 300 micro liters of the substance.

17. A device for transferring a substance into an eye of an animal comprising;

a needle-free injector comprising;

a reservoir for storing the substance;

a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

an actuator in communication with the reservoir, the actuator driving the substance from the reservoir to the nozzle; and

a light source to emit a targeting beam of light into the eye, the beam of light being coupled to the needle free injector.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the needle-free injector is an accessory to a patient positioning mechanism to position the needle-free injector against an eye of a patient to direct the needle-free injector to inject a jet into the eye.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the needle-free injector is positioned adjacent to a lens of the eye.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the beam of light and a jet of the needle-free injector intersect at a point at or near a retina of the eye.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein a depth of injection is controllable.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the substance is injected to depth of about 30 millimeters into the eye.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the source of light is a laser.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the substance is a drug.

25. The device of claim 17, wherein the substance is a powder.

26. The device of claim 17, wherein the actuator is a controllable electromagnetic actuator.

27. The device of claim 17, wherein the injection of a substance into the eye can be made between 30-50 milliseconds.

28. The device of claim 18, wherein the patient positioning mechanism is a slit lamp.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the electromagnetic actuator further comprises:

a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field; and

a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly receiving an electrical input and generating in response a force corresponding to the received input, the force resulting from interaction of an electrical current within the coil assembly and the magnetic field and causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the reservoir and the eye.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the electromagnetic actuator forces the substance through the nozzle producing a jet having sufficient velocity to pierce the surface of the eye.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein a rise-time of the generated force is less than about 5 milliseconds.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the force is of sufficient magnitude and duration to transfer a volume of up to at least about 300 micro liters of the substance.

33. A needle free injection device for transferring a substance into an eye of an animal comprising;

a reservoir for storing the substance;

a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir, the nozzle positioned adjacent to a lens of the eye;

an actuator in communication with the reservoir, the actuator driving the substance from the reservoir to the nozzle;

the actuator causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the nozzle and the eye to a depth of about 30 millimeters into the eye; and

a targeting light source adapted to emit a beam of light in a straight line into a pupil of the eye.

34. The device of claim 33, further comprising a patient positioning mechanism to position the nozzle against an eye of a patient to direct the nozzle to inject a jet into the eye.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein the actuator is a controllable electromagnetic actuator.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein the nozzle is positioned adjacent to a lens of the eye.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein the beam of light and a jet produced by the nozzle intersect at a point at or near a retina of the eye.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein the patient positioning mechanism is a slit lamp.

39. The device of claim 35, wherein the electromagnetic actuator further comprises:

a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field; and

a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly receiving an electrical input and generating in response a force corresponding to the received input, the force resulting from interaction of an electrical current within the coil assembly and the magnetic field and causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the reservoir and the eye.

40. A method of transferring a substance into the eye comprising;

positioning a needle-free injection device at or near a surface of the eye; and

injecting a jet through a vitreous humor of the eye to a retina of the eye.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the needle-free injector is an accessory to a patient positioning mechanism to position the needle-free injector against an eye of a patient to direct the needle-free injector to inject a jet into the eye.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the needle-free injector further comprises a controllable electromagnetic actuator.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the needle-free injector is positioned adjacent to a lens of the eye.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the needle free injector further comprises a targeting source of light, the targeting source of light emitting a beam of light into a pupil of a patient'"'"'s eye.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the beam of light and a jet produced by the needle-free injector form an angle along which a substance is injected into the eye.

46. The method of claim 40 wherein the injection can be used for treating Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the electromagnetic actuator further comprises:

a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field; and

a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly receiving an electrical input and generating in response a force corresponding to the received input, the force resulting from interaction of an electrical current within the coil assembly and the magnetic field and causing a needle-free transfer of the substance between the needle-free injector and the eye.

48. A method of transferring a substance into an eye of an animal comprising;

causing a light source to emit a targeting beam of light into a pupil of the eye;

positioning a needle-free injector adjacent to a lens of the eye;

applying an electrical input to a Lorentz force actuator, the Lorentz force actuator receiving the input and generating in response a force proportional to the received input, the force being capable of causing a needle-free injection of the substance; and

injecting the substance from the needle-free injector along or within an angle, the angle created by the intersection of a jet produced by the needle-free injector and the targeting beam of light, the substance being injected approximately 30 millimeters into the eye at or near the retina of the eye.

49. A method of moving a substance between the eye of an animal and an injection device comprising;

positioning a needle-free transport device at or near a surface of the eye; and

moving the substance through the surface of the eye with the needle-free transport device.

50. A device for transferring a substance into the eye comprising;

a means for positioning a needle-free injection device at or near a surface of the eye; and

a means for injecting a jet through a vitreous humor of the eye to a retina of the eye.