Microneedles and Methods for Microinfusion
First Claim
1. A method of delivering a drug to a biological tissue comprising:
- inserting at least one microneedle into the biological tissue;
partially retracting the at least one microneedle from the tissue; and
delivering at least one drug formulation into the biological tissue via the partially retracted at least one microneedle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for delivering a drug to or withdrawing a fluid from a biological tissue, such the skin, sclera, cornea, and conjunctiva. One method includes the steps of inserting at least one microneedle into the biological tissue; partially retracting the at least one microneedle from the tissue; and then delivering at least one drug formulation into the biological tissue via the partially retracted at least one microneedle. The microneedle deforms and penetrates the biological tissue during the insertion step, and the retraction step at least partially relaxes the tissue deformation while maintaining at least part of the tissue penetration, facilitating drug delivery or fluid withdrawal.
139 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of delivering a drug to a biological tissue comprising:
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inserting at least one microneedle into the biological tissue; partially retracting the at least one microneedle from the tissue; and delivering at least one drug formulation into the biological tissue via the partially retracted at least one microneedle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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11. (canceled)
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13-14. -14. (canceled)
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16. (canceled)
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17. The method of claim l, which uses an array of two or more of the microneedles.
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24. A method of transdermal delivery of drug to a patient comprising:
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inserting at least one microneedle into the skin of the patient; delivering at least one drug formulation into the skin via the at least one microneedle; and co-administering at least one compound that alters the microstructure of the skin in combination with the delivery of the at least one drug formulation. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A method of microinfusion of a fluid into a biological tissue comprising:
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inserting at least one hollow microneedle into the biological tissue; and driving a fluid drug formulation from a fluid reservoir through the hollow microneedle into the biological tissue, wherein deformation of the biological tissue is reduced by performing the insertion step using microneedle velocity, microneedle vibration, microneedle rotation, tissue stretching, or a combination thereof.
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27. A method of fluid extraction from a biological tissue comprising:
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inserting at least one hollow microneedle into the biological tissue; partially retracting the at least one microneedle from the tissue; and withdrawing at least one biological fluid from the biological tissue via the partially retracted at least one microneedle.
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28. A microneedle device for delivery of a fluid drug formulation to or withdrawal of a fluid from a biological tissue comprising:
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at least one microneedle having a tip portion for penetrating skin or another biological tissue; means for controllably inserting the at least one microneedle into the biological tissue, deforming the biological tissue; and means for controllably retracting the at least one microneedle partially from the tissue to at least partially relax the tissue deformation. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 42, 43, 44)
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29. The microneedle device of claim 29, further comprising means for rotating the at least one microneedle about its longitudinal axis during the insertion step, during the partial retraction step, or during both steps.
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36-37. -37. (canceled)
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39-41. -41. (canceled)
Specification