Delivery of biologically active substance to target sites in the body of patients
First Claim
1. A method of delivering a drug or diagnostic agent to a selected site in the body of a patient comprising the steps of:
- (i) injecting into the circulation of said patient an administrable formulation consisting essentially of, as a suspension in a carrier liquid, microballoons bounded by a solid polymeric membrane carrying an entrapped physiologically acceptable gas and liposome vesicles filled with a liquid containing said drug or diagnostic agent;
(ii) allowing said formulation to reach the selected site through the circulation of said patient, and (iii) ultrasonically irradiating said site so as to cause the microballoons to explode and the entrapped gas to expand in the carrier liquid, the energy of expansion of said gas causing the liposome vesicles to open and release the drug or diagnostic agent at said site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention concerns a method for administering bioactive substances to patients at selected sites in the body and remotely promoting delivery of said media to selected organs or tissues in the body. The method comprises providing an administrable formulation comprising, dispersed in an aqueous carrier liquid, liposomes filled with bioactive substances and gas-filled microspheres, injecting said formulation into the circulation of a patient so that it is directed to a site of interest, and applying ultrasound pulses to said site so as to make the gas-filled microbodies explode and the gas confined therein to expand in the carrier liquid, the energy of expansion of said confined gas causing the liposome vesicles to open and release the trapped substances at said site. Also disclosed are formulations for delivery of biologically active substances to selected target sites in the organism, the formulations comprising an aqueous suspension of gas-filled microvesicles and liposomes filled with active susbstances such as drugs or diagnostic agents. The formulations are available in a kit form in which the kit comprises sterile precursor components.
171 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of delivering a drug or diagnostic agent to a selected site in the body of a patient comprising the steps of:
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(i) injecting into the circulation of said patient an administrable formulation consisting essentially of, as a suspension in a carrier liquid, microballoons bounded by a solid polymeric membrane carrying an entrapped physiologically acceptable gas and liposome vesicles filled with a liquid containing said drug or diagnostic agent;
(ii) allowing said formulation to reach the selected site through the circulation of said patient, and (iii) ultrasonically irradiating said site so as to cause the microballoons to explode and the entrapped gas to expand in the carrier liquid, the energy of expansion of said gas causing the liposome vesicles to open and release the drug or diagnostic agent at said site. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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2. A method of delivering a drug or diagnostic agent to a selected site in the body of a patient comprising the steps of:
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(i) injecting into the circulation of said patient an administrable formulation consisting essentially of, as a suspension in a carrier liquid, microbubbles bounded by an evanescent gas/liquid interfacial closed surface and carrying an entrapped physiologically acceptable gas and liposome vesicles filled with a liquid containing said drug or diagnostic agent;
(ii) allowing said formulation to reach the selected site through the circulation of said patient, and (iii) ultrasonically irradiating said site so as to cause the microbubbles to explode and the entrapped gas to expand in the carrier liquid, the energy of expansion of said gas causing the liposome vesicles to open and release the drug or diagnostic agent at said site. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 11)
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Specification