INGESTIBLE IMPLEMENT FOR WEIGHT CONTROL

• US 20100215732A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eatlittle Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eatlittle Incorporated
• Inventors: Yadid-Pecht, Orly, Fattouche, Michel, Mintchev, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,389,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/451
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0036 Intragastrical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/071 into the form of telescopically engaged two-piece capsules
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0065 Forms with gastric retention, e.g. floating on gastric juice, adhering to gastric mucosa, expanding to prevent passage through the pylorus
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/009 Sachets, pouches characterised by the material or function of the envelope with gastric retention A61K9/0065; sachets which are not administered but function merely as a container are classified according to the content, e.g. sachets comprising powder for reconstitution of a drink A61K9/0095
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/04 Anorexiants; Antiobesity agents

Abstract

An orally administrable implement for expanding in a stomach of an animal, including a mammal, to fill a space in the stomach, is provided for weight control. The implement includes: a fluid-permeable expandable container having a first dimension and a second dimension; and a plurality of clusters comprising a swellable material contained within the container and capable of swelling when contacted with a fluid; whereby when the implement is ingested, the fluid in the stomach enters the container causing the clusters therein to swell and the container to expand from the first dimension to the second dimension.

Claims

1. An orally administrable implement for expanding in a stomach of an animal, including a mammal, to fill a space in the stomach, comprising:

(a) a fluid-permeable expandable container having a first dimension and a second dimension; and

(b) a plurality of clusters comprising a swellable material contained within the container and capable of swelling when contacted with a fluid;

whereby when the implement is ingested, the fluid in the stomach enters the container causing the clusters therein to swell and the container to expand from the first dimension to the second dimension.

2. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, whereby when the container is in the first dimension, the implement can be retained in an ingestible capsule.

3. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, whereby when the container is in the second dimension, it is sufficiently large so as to be retained in the stomach after ingestion.

4. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is biodegradable over time.

5. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is made from an absorbable woven, knitted, braided or monofilament mesh material.

6. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 4, whereby when the container biodegrades the swelled clusters are released into the stomach.

7. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the swelled clusters do not exceed about 1.0 cm in diameter.

8. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the swelled clusters do not exceed about 0.6 cm in diameter.

9. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is made from a fluid-permeable stretchable material.

10. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container comprises a plurality of smaller sections, whereby each section is connected to one another by absorbable fiber to form the container.

11. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is made from a permeable absorbable mesh having radial fibers woven therethrough.

12. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the swellable material of the clusters is selected from the group consisting of a swelling bentonite, microcrystalline hydrogels, polyolefins and various mixtures thereof.

13. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a magnet retained in the container.

14. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one active agent, which can be releasably associated with either the container, the clusters of swellable material, or both.

15. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 14, the at least one active agent is selected from the group consisting of enzymatic agents, medicinal agents, chemical agents, or combinations thereof.

16. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.

17. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency transmitter.

18. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of clusters comprising a substance-absorbing material contained within the container and capable of absorbing the targeted substance present in the stomach.

19. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the substance-absorbing material is a lipid-absorbing material.

20. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 19, wherein the lipid-absorbing material is lipid-absorbing chitosan fiber, oxidized cellulose fiber, or a combination of both.

21. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is made from fiber comprising a substance-absorbing material.

22. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 21, wherein the substance-absorbing material is a lipid-absorbing material.

23. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 22, wherein the lipid-absorbing material is lipid-absorbing chitosan fiber, oxidized cellulose fiber, or a combination of both.

24. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the implement can be self-administrable in the case of humans or administrable autonomously.

25. An orally administrable implement for expanding in a stomach of an animal, including a mammal, to fill a space in the stomach, comprising:

(a) a carrier;

(b) at least one fluid-permeable expandable container having a first dimension and a second dimension;

(c) a plurality of clusters comprising a swellable material contained within each container and capable of swelling when contacted with a fluid; and

(d) a coupler for coupling the at least one expandable container to the carrier;

whereby when the implement is ingested, the fluid in the stomach enters the container causing the clusters therein to swell and the container to expand from the first dimension to the second dimension.

26. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, wherein when the at least one container is in the first dimension the orally administrable implement can be retained in an ingestible capsule.

27. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, wherein when the at least one container is in the second dimension the implement will be of a sufficiently large size so as to be retained in the stomach.

28. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the coupler comprises a piece of absorbable biodegradable fiber or medical gauze for releasably attaching the at least one container to the carrier.

29. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a built-in microelectronic system operably associated with the carrier, or the container, or both, for tracking the disintegration of the at least one container.

30. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a built-in microelectronic system operably associated with the carrier, or the container, or both, for tracking the animal including a mammal that has ingested the said implement.

31. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25 further comprising at least one active agent releasably associated with either the at least one container, the clusters of swellable molecules, or both.

32. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 31, the at least one active agent is selected from the group consisting of enzymatic agents, medicinal agents, chemical agents, or combinations thereof.

33. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, further comprising a plurality of clusters comprising a substance-absorbable material contained within the at least one container and capable of absorbing the targeted substance present in the stomach.

34. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 33, wherein the substance-absorbing material is a lipid-absorbing material.

35. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 34, wherein the lipid-absorbing material is lipid-absorbing chitosan fiber, oxidized cellulose fiber, or a combination of both.

36. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the container is made from fiber comprising a substance-absorbing material.

37. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 36, wherein the substance-absorbing material is a lipid-absorbing material.

38. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 37, wherein the lipid-absorbing material is lipid-absorbing chitosan fiber, oxidized cellulose fiber, or a combination of both.

39. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the implement can be self-administrable in the case of humans or administrable autonomously.

40. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the swelled clusters do not exceed about 1.0 cm in diameter.

41. The orally administrable implement as claimed in claim 25, wherein the swelled clusters do not exceed about 0.6 cm in diameter.