Devices activating an iontophoretic delivery device

• US 6,377,848 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1999
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vyteris, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vyteris, Inc.
• Inventors: Flower, Ronald J., Garde, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/382,900
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 607/152, 607/153, 604/20, 604/501
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• 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

Abstract

An iontophoretic drug delivery device includes a controller normally being in an off or low power consumption state, and a patch including electrodes, a reservoir for holding an ionizable drug for transdermal delivery to a patient and a return reservoir. The patch is removable and electrically connectable to the controller, and delivers the drug to patient when the patch is on the patient'"'"'s skin and when the controller is switched from the off or low power consumption state to an operational state. This occurs when the patch is connected to the controller and a connector connects a power source to the controller or an activation means signals the controller to switch to the operational state. This feature preserves the battery of the controller.

Claims

1. An iontophoretic drug delivery device comprising:

a controller having a current generating circuit, said controller having an operational state, a normally off state and being selectively switchable between the states;

a power source;

a patch attachable to the skin of a subject, the patch comprising at least two reservoirs respectively including an anode and a cathode, one of the reservoirs for holding an ionizable drug for transcutaneous delivery when said controller is in the operational state and said patch is attached the skin, said patch being removably, electrically connectable to said controller;

a connector having one end and another end for electrically connecting said power source to said controller, and wherein when said patch is electrically connected to said controller and said connector connects said power source to said controller, said controller is switched to the operational state from the normally off state; and

wherein said connector comprises a pull tab comprising a material that is an electrical insulator, said pull tab being inserted between said power source and said controller such that when said pull tab is removed said power source is electrically connected to said controller.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said connector further comprises a switch having make/break contacts, said pull tab being inserted said between make/break contacts of the switch thereby to prevent the switch from operating, the switch being connected between said power source and said controller, wherein when said pull tab is removed thereby removing said electrical insulator, the switch is operational for selectively electrically connecting said power source to said controller.

3. An iontophoretic drug delivery device comprising:

a controller having a current generating circuit, said controller having an operational state, a normally off state and being selectively switchable between said operational and said normally off state, said controller having a signal terminal, a first battery terminal and a second battery terminal;

a patch attachable to the skin of a subject, the patch comprising at least two reservoirs respectively including an anode and a cathode, one of the reservoirs for holding an ionizable drug for transcutaneous delivery when said controller is in an operational state and said patch is attached the skin, said patch being removably, electrically connectable to said controller;

a power source having power terminals;

a connector for electrically connecting said power terminals to said controller, said controller thereby being switched to the operational state when said patch is electrically connected to said controller;

wherein said connector includes a latch circuit for latching said power terminals to said controller when triggered by a trigger source;

wherein said power source includes a first power terminal and a second power terminal, and the latch circuit includes a first FET and a second FET each having a gate, a drain and a source, the gate of the first FET being connected to the trigger source and the drain of the second FET, the drain of the first FET being connected to the first power terminal, the source of the first FET being connected to said first battery terminal of said controller, and said second battery terminal of said controller being connected to the second power terminal, the gate of the second FET being connected to said signal terminal of said controller, and the source of the second FET being connected to the second power terminal,

wherein when the gate of the first FET is biased by a signal from the trigger source, the first FET activates allowing current to flow through its source and drain, essentially connecting the first battery terminal of said controller to the first power terminal such that power is supplied to said controller, the gate of the second FET is then biased by a signal from said controller, turning on the second FET, and

wherein the gate of the first FET is then biased by the second FET even if the signal from the trigger source is removed.

4. An iontophoretic drug delivery device comprising:

a controller having a current generating circuit, said controller having an operational state, a normally off state and being selectively switchable between said operational and said normally off state, said controller having a signal terminal, a first battery terminal and a second battery terminal;

a patch attachable to the skin of a subject, the patch comprising at least two reservoirs respectively including an anode and a cathode, one of the reservoirs for holding an ionizable drug for transcutaneous delivery when said controller is in an operational state and said patch is attached the skin, said patch being removably, electrically connectable to said controller;

a power source having power terminals;

a connector for electrically connecting said power terminals to said controller, said controller thereby being switched to the operational state when said patch is electrically connected to said controller;

wherein said connector includes a latch circuit for latching said power terminals to said controller when triggered by a trigger source;

wherein said connector further comprises drug detection means for detecting that the ionizable drug is held within at least one of the reservoirs and wherein at least one of the reservoirs consists of a chamber formed by a first electrically conductive half and a second electrically conductive half, the first and second halves being physically connected by an electrical insulator, where said connector connects the power source to said controller when said drug detection means detects that the ionizable drug is held within one of the reservoirs;

wherein said drug detection means comprises a FET having a gate, a drain and a source, the gate being connected to the first half, the drain being connected to a first battery terminal of said controller, the source being connected to the first power terminal, the second power terminal being connected to the second half and a second battery terminal of said controller; and

where when the ionizable drug is held within the chamber of the reservoir, the gate of the FET is biased by a current passing through the chamber, activating the FET and allowing current to flow through the drain and source, essentially connecting the first battery terminal of said controller to the first power terminal such that power is supplied to said controller.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein at least one the reservoirs is removable from said device.

6. A device according to claim 4, wherein said connector further comprises reservoir detection means for detecting that at least one of the reservoirs is connected to said device, where said connector connects the power terminals to said controller when the reservoir detection means detects that at least one of the reservoirs is connected to said device.

7. An iontophoretic drug delivery device comprising:

a controller having a current generating circuit, the controller normally being in a low power consumption state when connected to a power source and an operational state, said controller being selectively switchable between said low power consumption state and said operational state;

a patch attachable to the skin of a subject, the patch comprising at least two reservoirs respectively including an anode and a cathode, one of the reservoirs for holding an ionizable drug for transcutaneous delivery when the controller is in an operational state and when the patch is attached to the subject'"'"'s skin, the patch being removable and electrically connectable to the controller;

activation signal means for signaling the controller to switch the operational state;

wherein the activation signal means includes latching means for latching a momentary activation signal;

wherein the latching means includes a first FET and a second FET, each having a gate, a drain and a source, the gate of the first FET being connected to the activation signal means and the drain of the second FET, the drain of the first FET being connected to a first terminal of the power source, the source of the first FET being connected to a signal input port of the controller, the gate of the second FET being connected to an output signal port of the controller,

wherein when the gate of the first FET is biased by an activation signal from the activation signal means, the first FET activates, changing a logic potential of the source of the first FET, the controller being switched to the operational state in response to the logic potential change, and

wherein the gate of the second FET being then biased by a signal from the controller so that the second FET activates, the gate of the first FET being then biased by the second FET even if the activation signal is removed.

8. An iontophoretic drug delivery device comprising:

a controller having a current generating circuit, the controller normally being in a low power consumption state when connected to a power source and an operational state, said controller being selectively switchable between said low power consumption state and said operational state;

a patch attachable to the skin of a subject, the patch comprising at least two reservoirs respectively including an anode and a cathode, one of the reservoirs for holding an ionizable drug for transcutaneous delivery when the controller is in an operational state and when the patch is attached to the subject'"'"'s skin, the patch being removable and electrically connectable to the controller;

activation signal means for signaling the controller to switch the operational state;

wherein the activation signal means includes latching means for latching a momentary activation signal;

wherein at least one of the reservoirs consists of a chamber formed by a first electrically conductive half and a second electrically conductive half, the first and second halves being physically connected by an electrical insulator,

where the reservoir detection means comprises a FET having a gate, a drain and a source, the gate being connected to the first half, the source of the FET being connected to a first terminal of the power source, a signal input port of the controller and the second half, the drain being connected to a second terminal of the power supply, and

where when the ionizable drug is held within the chamber of the reservoir, the gate of the FET is biased by a current passing through the chamber, which will activate the FET, changing the logic potential of the source of the FET,

wherein the controller switches to the operational state in response to the change in logic potential.