Method and apparatus for iontophoretic drug delivery
First Claim
1. An electrode device for iontophoretic delivery of an at least partially ionized active ingredient through the skin of a patient, comprising:
- (a) a first containment means defining a first chamber for containing an electrolyte;
(b) an electrical connection in electrical contact with said first chamber defined by said first containment means, for electrically contacting an electrolyte within said first chamber;
(c) a second containment means defining a second chamber for containing an active ingredient in at least partially ionized form and for iontophoretically delivering said at least partially ionized ingredient into the skin of a patient, said second containment means being separated from said first containment means;
(d) an ion mobility inhibiting means separating said first and second containment means, capable of passing current from the first containment means to said second containment means while inhibiting the flow of electrolytic ions having a charge like that of the at least partially ionized active ingredient from said first containment means into said second containment means and allowing the flow from the second containment means to the first containment means of ions having a charge which is different from the charge of the at least partially ionized active ingredient, said ion mobility inhibiting means being spacially separated from said electrical contact, and(e) maintaining means for maintaining the unionized active ingredient within the second cavity, while allowing electrical current and said at least partially ionized active ingredient to pass from said second containment means into the skin of a patient during iontophoretic treatment.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for iontophoretic delivery of active ingredient to a patient, that includes an electrode, a first cavity for holding a solution of at least partially active ingredient in ionizing form to be delivered to a patient, a member for maintaining a solution in the first cavity while allowing passage of active ingredient from the first cavity, and an ion exchange member separating the electrode and the first cavity for inhibiting the flow of ions having a charge similar to the charge of the ionized form of the active ingredient from the electrode means to the first cavity is disclosed. A method for iontophoretic delivery of active ingredients to a patient is also disclosed.
213 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. An electrode device for iontophoretic delivery of an at least partially ionized active ingredient through the skin of a patient, comprising:
-
(a) a first containment means defining a first chamber for containing an electrolyte; (b) an electrical connection in electrical contact with said first chamber defined by said first containment means, for electrically contacting an electrolyte within said first chamber; (c) a second containment means defining a second chamber for containing an active ingredient in at least partially ionized form and for iontophoretically delivering said at least partially ionized ingredient into the skin of a patient, said second containment means being separated from said first containment means; (d) an ion mobility inhibiting means separating said first and second containment means, capable of passing current from the first containment means to said second containment means while inhibiting the flow of electrolytic ions having a charge like that of the at least partially ionized active ingredient from said first containment means into said second containment means and allowing the flow from the second containment means to the first containment means of ions having a charge which is different from the charge of the at least partially ionized active ingredient, said ion mobility inhibiting means being spacially separated from said electrical contact, and (e) maintaining means for maintaining the unionized active ingredient within the second cavity, while allowing electrical current and said at least partially ionized active ingredient to pass from said second containment means into the skin of a patient during iontophoretic treatment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
17. A method for iontophoretic delivery of active ingredient which is in either anionic or cationic form to a patient, comprising pretreating the skin with a cationic or anionic surfactant, respectively;
- iontophoretically delivering said surfactant into the skin of a patient;
applying to the skin surface of the patient a first electrode device that includes an electrode and an associated ionized active ingredient, applying to the skin surface of the patient a second electrode device spaced from said first electrode device, and supplying current to the electrode devices to cause migration of an effective amount of the active ingredient into the patient.
- iontophoretically delivering said surfactant into the skin of a patient;
- 18. A method for iontophoretic delivery of active ingredient to a patient, comprising applying to the skin surface of the patient a first electrode device that includes an electrode and an associated ionized active ingredient, applying to the skin surface of the patient a second electrode device spaced from said first electrode device, and supplying current to the electrode devices to cause migration of an effective amount of the active ingredient into the patient, said active ingredient being in basic form and being associated with a pharmaceutically acceptable weak acid.
- 20. A method for iontophoretic delivery of active ingredient to a patient, comprising applying to the skin surface of the patient a first electrode device that includes an electrode and an associated ionized active ingredient, applying to the skin surface of the patient a second electrode device spaced from said first electrode devices, and supplying current to the electrode devices to cause migration of an effective amount of the active ingredient into the patient, said active ingredient being in acidic form and being associated with a pharmaceutically acceptable weak base.
-
22. A method for iontophoretic delivery of active ingredient to a patient, comprising applying to the skin surface of the patient a first electrode device that includes an electrode and an associated at least partially ionized active ingredient, applying to the skin surface of the patient a second electrode device spaced from said first electrode device, supplying current to the electrode devices to cause migration of a therapeutically effective amount of the active ingredient into the patient, and associating said active ingredient with buffering means, wherein the ions of said buffering means of like charge to the active ingredient have a limiting ionic mobility of less than 1×
- 10-4 cm2 /volt-sec.
Specification