Drug delivery system and method

• US 6,041,252 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ichor Medical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ichor Medical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Walker, Jeffrey P., Bernard, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/476,714
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20-21, 604/49, 935/52-53, 435/173.6, 435/285.2, 607/72
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/127 Liposomes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0412 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electroporation, e.g. including drug reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0428 Specially adapted for iontophoresis, e.g. AC, DC or including drug reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/30 Apparatus for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body, or cataphoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/306 Arrangements where at least part of the apparatus is introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/327 for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation

Abstract

A method for delivering a therapeutic agent to a predetermined location in a host is disclosed, wherein a liposome-encapsulated therapeutic agent is administered to the host, and an electrical field which encompasses a predetermined region within the host is established, such that as the liposome-encapsulated agent is exposed to the electrical field the release of the agent from the liposome to the predetermined region is enhanced.

Claims

1. A system for the delivery of electroporation-inducing electrical fields to a patient comprising:

a plurality of electrodes adapted to be located within a predetermined three-dimensional space in a patient, said electrodes arranged to provide at least one reference electrode in electrically--conductive communication with at least two geometrically-oriented satellite electrodes; and

electrical pulse generating means for generating electroporation-inducing electrical fields incorporating control means connected to at least three of said plurality of electrodes said control means capable of varying the number and order of electrodes that participate in each pulse delivered by said pulse generating means such that a pulse many be delivered to at least said reference electrode and at least two of said satellite electrodes simultaneously.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, said control means further comprising means to control the electrical parameters and temporal relationship of the electrical pulses applied to each of said electrodes.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said control means comprises a digital computer.

4. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said control means can apply electrical pulses of different polarity to selected electrodes so as to redefine the reference and satellite relationship as between the plurality of electrodes.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical pulse generating means generates an electrical field strength in the range of approximately 0.4 kV/cm to approximately 1.3 kV/cm in the tissue of a patient.

6. A system for the delivery of electroporation-inducing electrical fields to a patient comprising:

a plurality of electrodes adapted to be located within a predetermined three-dimensional space in a patient, said electrodes arranged to provide at least one reference electrode in electrically-conductive communication with at least two geometrically-oriented satellite electrodes;

electrical pulse generating means for generating electroporation-inducing electrical fields incorporating control means connected to at least three of said plurality of electrodes capable of varying the number and order of electrodes that participate in each pulse delivered such that a pulse may be delivered to at least said reference electrode and at least two of said satellite electrodes simultaneously; and

control means connecting said electrical pulse generating means to at least three of said electrodes, which control means directs the electrical parameters and temporal relationship of the electrical pulses applied to each of said electrodes.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein said control means comprises a digital computer.

8. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein said control means can apply electrical pulses of different polarity lo selected electrodes so as to redefine the reference and satellite relationship as between the plurality of electrodes.

9. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein the electrical pulse generating means generates an electrical field strength in the range of approximately 0.4 kV/cm to approximately 1.3 kV/cm in the issue of a patient.

10. A system for the delivery of electroporation-inducing electrical fields to a patient comprising:

a plurality of electrodes adapted to be located within a predetermined three-dimensional space in a patient, said electrodes arranged to provide at least one reference electrode in electrically-conductive communication with at least two geometrically-oriented satellite electrodes;

electrical pulse generating means for generating electroporation-inducing electrical fields incorporating control means connected to at least three of said plurality of electrodes capable of varying the number and order of electrodes that participate in each pulse delivered such that a pulse may be delivered to at least said reference electrode and at least two of said satellite electrodes simultaneously; and

control means connecting said electrical pulse generating means to at least three of said electrodes, which control means can apply electrical pulses of different polarity to selected electrodes so as to redefine the reference and satellite relationship as between the plurality of electrodes.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein said control means comprises a digital computer.

12. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the electrical pulse generating means generates an electrical field strength in the range of approximately 0.4 kV/cm to approximately 1.3 kV/cm in the tissue of a patient.