Implantable electroporation method and apparatus for drug and gene delivery
First Claim
1. A method of introducing molecules into living blood cells of a patient for therapeutic purposes, comprising the steps of:
- providing an implantable electric field generating device;
implanting said device into a body of the patient at a preselected location within close proximity of a selected blood stream and disposed at least partially around a center of a selected blood vessel through which the selected blood stream flows for generating electric fields at a preselected location within said selected blood vessel;
infusing preselected of said molecules into the selected blood vessel upstream of the preselected location within said selected blood vessel; and
applying an electric signal to the implanted device to cause it to generate electric fields of a predetermined amplitude and duration to repeatedly subject a quantity of blood flowing past the preselected location within the selected blood vessel to said electric fields of a predetermined amplitude and duration in order to make the walls of preselected cells in the blood transiently permeable to permit the molecules to enter said preselected cells without killing said cells.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for introducing molecules such as genes and pharmacological compounds into living blood cells of a patient for therapeutic purposes. A device is implanted into the body of the patient for generating an electric field at a preselected location within a selected blood vessel. Preselected molecules are infused into the selected blood vessel. Simultaneously an electric signal is applied to the implanted device to repeatedly subject a quantity of blood flowing within the selected blood vessel past the preselected location to electric fields of a predetermined amplitude and duration. The parameters of the electric fields are precisely controlled in order to make the walls of preselected cells in the blood transiently permeable to permit the molecules to enter said preselected cells without killing said cells. The device can include either a pair of electrodes implanted in the blood vessel, or alternatively, an induction coil that surrounds the blood vessel. The electric signal is supplied by a power pack and the preselected molecules are infused with a supply pump.
216 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of introducing molecules into living blood cells of a patient for therapeutic purposes, comprising the steps of:
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providing an implantable electric field generating device; implanting said device into a body of the patient at a preselected location within close proximity of a selected blood stream and disposed at least partially around a center of a selected blood vessel through which the selected blood stream flows for generating electric fields at a preselected location within said selected blood vessel; infusing preselected of said molecules into the selected blood vessel upstream of the preselected location within said selected blood vessel; and applying an electric signal to the implanted device to cause it to generate electric fields of a predetermined amplitude and duration to repeatedly subject a quantity of blood flowing past the preselected location within the selected blood vessel to said electric fields of a predetermined amplitude and duration in order to make the walls of preselected cells in the blood transiently permeable to permit the molecules to enter said preselected cells without killing said cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for introducing molecules in vivo into living blood cells of a patient, comprising:
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an implantable electric field generating device sized and shaped to be implanted in the patient at a preselected location in close proximity of a selected blood stream and disposed at least partially around a center of a selected blood vessel through which the selected blood stream flows for generating electric fields at a preselected location within the selected blood vessel of the patient; means for injecting a predetermined quantity of a fluid medium carrying preselected of said molecules into the selected blood vessel upstream of the preselected location within the selected blood vessel; and means for applying an electric signal to the implantable device for causing it to repeatedly generate electric fields of a predetermined amplitude and duration in order to make the walls of preselected cells in blood flowing past the preselected location within the selected blood vessel to be transiently permeable to permit the molecules to enter said preselected cells without killing said cells. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification