DRUG RELEASE SYSTEM

• US 3,796,217 A
• Filed: 05/17/1973
• Issued: 03/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Myron Arlen
• Original Assignee: Myron Arlen
• Inventors: Arlen, Myron
• Primary Examiner(s): Medbery, Aldrich F.
• Application Number:
  US05/361,153
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 128/260,214E,127,350,1R,2R
• US Class Current: 424/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 7/00 Devices or methods for introducing solid, liquid, or gaseous remedies or other materials into or onto the bodies of animals for reproduction or fertilisation A61D19/00 ; devices for implanting pellets, radon seeds or the like A61M37/0069
• 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

There is disclosed a device and method for delivery of a chemotherapeutic over a prolonged period of time to the body. In case the therapeutic has an adverse effect on the body the device can be flushed and a more suitable therapeutic substituted.

Claims

1. A method of introducing a plurality of medicaments into an animal body which includes selecting an area of the body to be treated, implanting into the living tissues of the body a body implant device for delivery of a medicament over a long period of time comprising a chamber adapted to receive a medicament, wall means sufficiently thick to be resistant to fluid flow therethrough partially surrounding said chamber, relatively thin fluid permeable membrane means engaging said wall means and completing the surrounding of said chamber, said membrane means being adapted to permit transport of fluids between the body and said chamber, said membrane means being not over one-half the thickness of said wall means, said wall means and said membrane means being made of a water insoluble hydrophilic non-toxic polymer of a member of the group consisting of hydroxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl methacrylates, vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylamide, methacrylamide, Nlower alkyl acrylamide, N-lower alkyl methacrylamide N-hydroxy lower alkyl acrylamide and N-hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylamide first conduit means for feeding medicament to said chamber and second conduit means for rapid removal of medicament from said chamber, introducing into the chamber of the device a first medicament, allowing the device to remain within the body while permitting said first medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body, passing a second medicament through said first conduit means into said chamber after said device is implanted in the body, removing the first medicament through said second conduit means and permitting said second medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body.

2. A method of introducing a plurality of medicaments into an animal body which includes selecting an area of the body to be treated, implanting into the living tissues of the body a body implant device for delivery of a medicament over a long period of time comprising a chamber adopted to receive a medicament, wall means sufficiently thick to be resistant to fluid flow therethrough at least partially surrounding said chamber, relatively thin fluid permeable membrane means engaging said wall means and either (1) completing the surrounding of said chamber, or (2) completely surrounding both said chamber and said wall means, said membrane means being adapted to permit transport of fluids between the body and said chamber, said membrane means being not over one-half the thickness of said wall means, said wall means and said membrane means being made of a biologically incompatible material and an extremely thin coating of a water insoluble hydrophilic non-toxic, biocompatible polymer of a member of the group consisting of hydroxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl methacrylates, vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-lower alkyl acrylamide, N-lower alkyl methacrylamide, N-hydroxy lower alkyl acrylamide and N-hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylamide surrounding all externally exposed portions of said wall means and said membrane means, said coating being sufficiently thin that it does not interfere with fluid transport through said membrane means, a first conduit means for feeding medicament to said chamber and a second conduit for rapid removal of medicament from said chamber, introducing into the chamber of the device a first medicament, allowing the device to remain within the body while permitting said first medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body, passing a second medicament through said first conduit means into said chamber after the device is implanted in the body, removing the first medicament through said second conduit means and permitting said second medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body.

3. A method according to claim 2 including the step of introducing said first medicament into said chamber after the device is implanted in the animal body.

4. A method according to claim 3 including the step of determining if said first medicament is compatible with said tissues, upon determination that a change of medicament is desirable because the animal body exhibits a toxic reaction to the first medicament promptly replacing said first medicament by a second medicament which does not have said toxic effects.

5. A method of introducing a plurality of mediaments into an animal body which includes selecting an area of the body to be treated, implanting into the living tissues of the body a body implant device for delivery of a medicament over a long period of time comprising a chamber adapted to receive a medicament, wall means sufficiently thick to be resistant to fluid flow therethrough partially surrounding said chamber, relatively thin fluid permeable membrane means engaging said wall means and completing the surroundiNg of said chamber, said membrane means being adapted to permit transport of fluids between the body and said chamber, said membrane means not being over one-half the thickness of said wall means, said wall means and said membrane means being made of a water insoluble hydrophilic non-toxic biocompatible polymer of a hydroxy lower alkyl acrylate or methacrylate, first conduit means for feeding medicament to said chamber and second conduit means for rapid removal of medicament from said chamber, introducing into the chamber of the device a first medicament, allowing the device to remain within the body while permitting said first medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body, passing a second medicament through said first conduit means into said chamber after said device is implanted in the body, removing the first medicament through said second conduit means and permitting said second medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body.

6. A method according to claim 5 including the step of determining if said first medicament causes undesirab e side effects, upon determination that the first medicament does cause undesirable side effects replacing said first medicament by a said medicament which does not have said side effects.

7. A method of introducing a plurality of medicaments into an animal body which includes selecting an area of the body to be treated, implanting into the living tissues of the body a body implant device for delivery of a medicament over a long period of time comprising a chamber adopted to receive a medicament, wall means sufficiently thick to be resistant to fluid flow therethrough at least partially surrounding said chamber, relatively thin fluid permeable membrane means engaging said wall means and at least completing the surrounding of said chamber, said membrane means being adapted to permit transport of fluids between the body and said chamber, said membrane means being not over one-half the thickness of said wall means, said wall means and said membrane means being made of a biologically incompatible material and an extremely thin coating of a water insoluble hydrophilic non-toxic, biocompatible polymer of a hydroxy lower alkyl acrylate or methacrylate surrounding all externally exposed portions of said wall means and said membrane means, said coating being sufficiently thin that it does not interfere with fluid transport through said membrane means, a first conduit means for feeding medicament to said chamber and a second conduit means for rapid removal of medicament from said chamber, introducing into the chamber of the device a first medicament, allowing the device to remain within the body while permitting said first medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body, passing a second medicament through said first conduit means into said chamber after the device is implanted in the body, removing the first medicament through said second conduit means and permitting said second medicament to pass through said membrane means into the animal body.

8. A method according to claim 7 including the step of introducing said first medicament into said chamber after the device is implanted in the animal body.

9. A method according to claim 8 including the step of determining if said first medicament is compatible with said tissues, upon determination that a change of medicament is desirable because the animal body exhibits a toxic reaction to the first medicament promptly replacing said first medicament by a second medicament which does not have said toxic effects.