HIGH-THROUGHPUT PRODUCTION OF INGESTIBLE EVENT MARKERS

• US 20120011699A1
• Filed: 01/05/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Hafezi, Hooman, Zdeblick, Mark, Au-Yeung, Kityee, Moon, Gregory, Duck, Robert, Robertson, Timothy, Snyder, Eric, Costello, Benedict J., Casillas Holen, Maria, Folena, Mauro, Rao, Pratish
• Application Number:
  US12/741,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011699A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/458
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0406 specially shaped apparatus housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/162 Capsule shaped sensor housings, e.g. for swallowing or implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4238 stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4255 Intestines, colon or appendix
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 11/34 for coating articles, e.g. tablets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5191 Assembly

Abstract

High-throughput ingestible event marker manufacturing systems are provided. The systems include an assembly unit configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker with a carrier to produce a product. Also provided are manufacturing methods to produce such products which include assembling an ingestible event marker with an assembly unit configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker with a carrier.

Claims

1. A high-throughput system comprising an automated assembly unit configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker with a carrier to produce a product.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly unit is configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker with a pre-made carrier.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the assembly unit is configured to stably associate the ingestible event marker with the pre-made carrier using an adhesive.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the ingestible event marker includes an element that mechanically provides for stable association with the pre-made carrier.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the assembly unit is configured to print one or more components of the ingestible event marker on a surface of the pre-made carrier.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly unit is configured to produce a product from an ingestible event marker and a carrier precursor.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly unit is configured to associate a coating with the ingestible event marker.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the coating is opaque and is configured to hide the ingestible event marker associated with the carrier.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the assembly unit is integrated with a packaging unit of the system.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises an element selected from the group consisting essentially of:

an ingestible event marker manufacturing unit to manufacture ingestible event marker;

a quality control inspection unit to inspect the ingestible event marker;

a programming device to program the ingestible event marker of the product;

a signature element unit to associate a signature with the ingestible event marker; and

a packaging unit to produce packages associated with the ingestible event markers.

11. A high-throughput method for producing a product, the method comprising:

assembling an ingestible event marker with an assembly unit configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker with a carrier to produce the product.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the assembling an ingestible event marker with an assembly unit configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker with a carrier to produce a product comprises:

compressing a carrier with the ingestible event marker to form the product.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

coating at least a portion of the ingestible event marker.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

printing to deposit one or more components of the ingestible event marker onto at least a portion of the carrier.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

packaging the product.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the packaging the ingestible event marker further comprises:

bulk packaging multiple products.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the assembling an ingestible event marker with an assembly unit configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker identifier with a carrier to produce an ingestible event marker comprises:

mechanically attaching the ingestible event marker to the carrier.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

overcoating at least a portion of the ingestible event marker.

20. method according to claim 11, wherein the assembling an ingestible event marker with an assembly unit configured to stably associate an ingestible event marker with a carrier to produce an ingestible event marker comprises:

inserting an ingestible event marker into a carrier.

17. The method according to Clam 16, further comprising:

repackaging the bulk-packaged products.

21. A process for manufacturing an identifiable product that includes a pharmaceutical agent and an ingestible device, the process comprising the step of presenting the pharmaceutical agent in the form of a tablet to an assembly unit, wherein the assembly unit manufactures the identifiable product through the steps comprising:

placing a determined volume of adhesive onto one surface of the tablet to produce an adhesive sided tablet using an adhesive delivery unit; and

securing the ingestible device to the adhesive sided tablet to produce the identifiable product using a device delivery unit.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein the assembly unit further performs a step including placing a protective coating onto the identifiable product to produce a coated identifiable product using a protective coating delivery unit.

23. A process for manufacturing an identifiable product from a pharmaceutical agent and an ingestible device using an assembly unit that includes a powder delivery unit, a compressing unit, and a device delivery unit, the process comprising the steps of:

delivering a first portion powder form of the pharmaceutical agent to a tablet die of the assembly unit using the powder delivery unit;

placing the ingestible device into the tablet die of the assembly unit using the device delivery unit;

delivering a second portion powder form of the pharmaceutical agent to the tablet die of the assembly unit; and

compressing the content of the tablet die using the compressing unit to form the identifiable product.

24. A process for manufacturing an identifiable product using an assembly apparatus that includes a first capsule portion delivery unit, a capsule assembler unit, an agent delivery unit, and a device delivery unit, the process comprising the steps of:

delivering a first portion of a capsule using the first capsule portion delivery unit of the assembly apparatus;

filling the first portion of the capsule with a pharmaceutical agent using the agent delivery unit of the assembly apparatus;

placing an ingestible device into the first portion of the capsule using the device delivery unit of the assembly apparatus; and

sealing the content of the first portion of the capsule with a second portion of the capsule using the capsule assembler unit of the assembly apparatus.