Ultrasonic enhancement of drug injection

• US 6,464,680 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1998
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PharmaSonics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PharmaSonics, Inc.
• Inventors: Isner, Jeff, Nassi, Meno, Zuk, Robert, McKenzie, John, Brisken, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez, Manuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson, Michael M
• Application Number:
  US09/126,011
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/28, 604/511, 604/500, 604/501, 604/522, 604/518, 128/898
• US Class Current: 604/501
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0092 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis

Abstract

A method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance delivered into a target region of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising: (a) delivering the substance to the target region; and (b) directing vibrational energy to the target region, wherein the vibrational energy is of a type and in an amount sufficient to enhance absorption into cells of the target region.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance delivered into a target region of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

(a) injecting the substance into solid tissue in the target region; and

(b) directing vibrational energy to the target region, said vibrational energy having a Mechanical Index in the range of 0.3 to 15 and having a Thermal Index of less than 4.0, said vibrational energy being of a type and in an amount sufficient to enhance absorption into cells of the target region.

2. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 1, wherein,

said target region is in the myocardium.

3. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 2, wherein said injecting step comprises injection through the epicardium.

4. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 2, wherein said injecting step comprises injection through the endocardium.

5. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 2, wherein,

said substance promotes angiogenesis.

6. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 5, wherein,

said substance is selected from the group consisting of VEGF and BFGF.

7. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 5, wherein,

said substance inhibits restenosis.

8. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 5, wherein,

said substance is eNOS.

9. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 2, wherein,

said substance prevents congestive heart failure.

10. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 2, wherein,

said substance is selected from the group consisting of brain naturatic peptides and beta-andrenogenic receptors.

11. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 2, wherein,

said substance is a DNA-based vaccine.

12. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 1, wherein,

the step of injecting the substance is performed at least partly after the step of directing vibrational energy to the target region.

13. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 1, wherein,

said vibrational energy has a frequency range of 20 kHz to 3.0 MHz.

14. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 1, wherein,

absorption is increased by at least about 5% relative to uptake in the absence of the vibrational energy.

15. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 14, wherein,

absorption is increased by at least about 5000% relative to uptake in the absence of the vibrational energy.

16. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 1, wherein the step of directing vibrational energy to the target region comprises:

engaging a vibrational surface against tissue of the target region.

17. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 16, wherein the vibrational surface is generally planar and engaged against an external surface of a patient'"'"'s skin, organ, or tissue.

18. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 16, wherein the vibrational surface is a probe that penetrates into tissue in the target region.

19. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 18, wherein the probe is a needle used for injecting the substance into the target region.

20. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 17, wherein the needle vibrates to form microbubbles, thereby enhancing cavitation at the target region.

21. The method of enhancing cellular absorption of a substance as in claim 1, wherein the step of directing vibrational energy to the target region comprises:

generating a ultrasound beam external to the patient; and

directing the ultrasound beam to the target region.