Technique for drug and chemical delivery
First Claim
1. A method of delivering a chemical agent to a preselected area of a body, comprising the steps of:
- (a) encapsulating said chemical agent within a liposome, said liposome having a predetermined phase transition temperature at which said liposome is capable of releasing said chemical agent;
(b) injecting said liposome into the blood stream of said body; and
(c) subjecting said preselected area of said body to nonionizing electromagnetic fields without heating said preselected area of said body to said predetermined phase transition temperature in order to release said chemical agent from said liposome by nonthermal means at a temperature below said predetermined phase transition temperature.
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Abstract
A technique for rapidly delivering drugs and/or chemicals to a specific area of the body by subjecting a liposome encapsulated drug and/or chemical to nonionizing electromagnetic fields. By subjecting the liposome to such fields in the range of 26-2,450 MHz drug/chemical release occurs in a rapid fashion and at temperatures that the liposomes are normally not leaky. This is a non-thermal effect of the field on the liposome that is not related to heating. Consequently, localized release of drug/chemicals can be effected without subjecting the diseased tissue to adverse heating. In addition, drug/chemical release due to electromagnetic-field treatment of liposomes is enhanced by serum and/or oxygen.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of delivering a chemical agent to a preselected area of a body, comprising the steps of:
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(a) encapsulating said chemical agent within a liposome, said liposome having a predetermined phase transition temperature at which said liposome is capable of releasing said chemical agent; (b) injecting said liposome into the blood stream of said body; and (c) subjecting said preselected area of said body to nonionizing electromagnetic fields without heating said preselected area of said body to said predetermined phase transition temperature in order to release said chemical agent from said liposome by nonthermal means at a temperature below said predetermined phase transition temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of delivering a chemical agent to a preselected area of a body, comprising the steps of:
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(a) encapsulating said chemical agent within a liposome, said liposome having a predetermined phase transition temperature at which said liposome is capable of releasing said chemical agent; (b) injecting said liposome into a preselected tissue of said body; and (c) subjecting said preselected tissue of said body to nonionizing electromagnetic fields without heating said tissue to said predetermined phase transition temperature in order to release said chemical agent from said liposome by nonthermal means at a temperature below said predetermined phase transition temperature. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification