ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED PILL AND SYSTEM HAVING AT LEAST ONE SENSOR FOR DELIVERING AT LEAST ONE MEDICAMENT

• US 20090234331A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medimetrics Personalized Drug Delivery B.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Likourezos, George, Langereis, Gerardus Rudolph
• Application Number:
  US11/720,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234331A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/891.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50

Abstract

An electronically controlled pill (100) or medicament delivery system is provided. The pill (100) includes a housing (102); a medicament reservoir (104) for storing a medicament; an electronically controlled release valve, pump or hatch (106) for dispensing one or more medicaments stored in the medicament reservoir (104) while traversing the gastrointestinal tract; decision and control logic circuitry (108) for opening and closing the valve (106); a battery (109); and at least one sensor (110). The decision and control logic circuitry (108) opens and closes the valve (106) in accordance with sensed conditions by the at least one sensor (110).

Claims

1. A medicament delivery system (100) for dispensing a medicament while traversing the gastrointestinal tract, said system (100) comprising:

a housing (102);

a reservoir (104) for storing said medicament within said housing (102);

a valve (106) in fluid communication with said reservoir (104);

at least one sensor (110) for sensing at least one parameter; and

circuitry (108) for controlling said valve (106) for opening and closing said valve (106) for dispensing said medicament from said reservoir (104) in accordance with said at least one sensed parameter.

2. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein said housing (102) is manufactured from at least one material selected from the group consisting of titanium, Pellethane®

2363 polyetherurethane series of materials, Elasthane polyetherurethane, PurSil®

, and CarboSil®

.

3. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry comprises at least one processor (200) storing at least one data structure correlating said at least one sensed parameter with a position along the gastrointestinal tract.

4. The system (100) according to claim 3, wherein said at least one data structure is a look-up table.

5. The system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a battery (112) for powering said circuitry (108) and said at least one sensor (110).

6. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry (108) comprises a start timer mechanism (114) for causing the activation of the logic circuitry (108) and the at least one sensor (110).

7. The system (100) according to claim 6, wherein the start timer mechanism (114) is a micro-electromechanical (MEM) mechanism having a sensor (116) for sensing the presence of a liquid.

8. The system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a release controller (120) in operative communication with said valve (106) for controlling the opening and closing of said valve (106) upon receiving at least one signal from said circuitry (108).

9. The system (100) according to claim 8, wherein said release controller (120) controls a degree of opening of said valve (106) in accordance with a voltage level of said at least one signal.

10. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the system (100) comprises at least one substance or device for enabling detection of the system (100) from outside the gastrointestinal tract.

11. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry (108) comprises at least one processor (200) programmed with at least one location along the gastrointestinal tract at which said medicament is to be dispensed.

12. A method for dispensing a medicament in the gastrointestinal tract, said method comprising the steps of:

providing the medicament within a housing (102) having an opening (103);

obtaining at least one reading using at least one sensor positioned within the gastrointestinal tract; and

determining whether to dispense said medicament via said opening (103) by analyzing the at least one reading.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said housing (102) is manufactured from at least one material selected from the group consisting of titanium, Pellethane®

2363 polyetherurethane series of materials, Elasthane polyetherurethane, PurSil®

, and CarboSil®

.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of determining comprising the step of correlating the at least one reading with a position along the gastrointestinal tract using a data structure.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of providing a power source for powering at least one sensor (110) used for obtaining the at least one sensor reading.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of providing a start timer mechanism (114) for causing the activation of the at least one sensor (110).

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the start timer mechanism (114) is a micro-electromechanical (MEM) mechanism having a sensor (116) for sensing the presence of a liquid.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

providing a valve (106) for controlling dispensing of said medicament via said opening (103); and

providing a release controller (120) in operative communication with said valve (106) for controlling the opening and closing of said valve (106).

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of controlling a degree of opening of said valve (106).

20. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of providing said housing (102) with at least one substance or device for enabling detection of the housing (102) from outside the gastrointestinal tract.