DRUG DELIVERY DEVICE
First Claim
1. An implantable device for the in situ delivery of one or more pharmaceutically active agents to a human or animal, the device comprising:
- an outer polymeric matrix formed from at least one inflammation-sensitive polymer and comprising at least one pharmaceutically active agent, wherein the polymer is cross-linked so as to retain the pharmaceutically active agent within the polymeric matrix under normal physiological conditions but undergoes a conformational change when inflammation is present so as to release the pharmaceutically active agent; and
an inner polymeric matrix formed from at least one inflammation-sensitive polymer and comprising at least one pharmaceutically active agent, wherein the polymer is cross-linked so as to retain the pharmaceutically active agent within the polymeric matrix under normal physiological conditions but undergoes a conformational change when inflammation is present so as to release the pharmaceutically active agent;
wherein the inner and outer polymeric matrices are formed so that, when inflammation is present the pharmaceutically active agent within the inner polymeric matrix is released at a slower rate than the pharmaceutically active agent within the outer polymeric matrix.
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Abstract
The invention provides an inflammation-responsive implantable device for the in situ delivery of one or more pharmaceutically active agents to a human or animal. The device comprises two differential release bioresponsive polymeric matrices (BPMs): an outer polymetric matrix and an inner polymeric matrix, both of which contain at least one pharmaceutically active agent or drug, typically an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory agent, respectively. The therapeutically effective agent may be embedded in nanoparticles or nanobubbles. In response to inflammation, the pharmaceutically active agents are released, but at different rates: the rate of drug release from the inner polymeric matrix is lower than the rate of drug release from the outer polymeric matrix. Suitable polymers for forming the outer and inner polymeric matrices are hyaluronic acid and chitosan, respectively. A method of making the device and a method of treatment are also described.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An implantable device for the in situ delivery of one or more pharmaceutically active agents to a human or animal, the device comprising:
an outer polymeric matrix formed from at least one inflammation-sensitive polymer and comprising at least one pharmaceutically active agent, wherein the polymer is cross-linked so as to retain the pharmaceutically active agent within the polymeric matrix under normal physiological conditions but undergoes a conformational change when inflammation is present so as to release the pharmaceutically active agent; and an inner polymeric matrix formed from at least one inflammation-sensitive polymer and comprising at least one pharmaceutically active agent, wherein the polymer is cross-linked so as to retain the pharmaceutically active agent within the polymeric matrix under normal physiological conditions but undergoes a conformational change when inflammation is present so as to release the pharmaceutically active agent; wherein the inner and outer polymeric matrices are formed so that, when inflammation is present the pharmaceutically active agent within the inner polymeric matrix is released at a slower rate than the pharmaceutically active agent within the outer polymeric matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification