Method and apparatus for in-vivo transdermal and/or intradermal delivery of drugs by sonoporation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing in-vivo sonoporation of skin area and transdermal and/or intradermal delivery of a drug solution comprising:
- an ultrasound horn having a tip submerged in said drug solution and applying ultrasound radiation to said drug solution wherein said ultrasound radiation has a frequency in the range of 15 KHz and 1 MHz and is applied at an intensity, for a period of time and at a distance from said skin area effective to generate cavitation bubbles, wherein said cavitation bubbles collapse and transfer their energy into the skin area thus causing the formation of pores in the skin area; and
wherein said ultrasound radiation intensity and distance from the skin area are also effective in generating ultrasonic jets, said ultrasonic jets driving said drug solution transdermally through said formed pores into the skin area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for performing in-vivo sonoporation of a skin area and transdermal and/or intradermal delivery of a drug solution includes a container having an end adjacent the skin area and containing the drug solution. The container further includes an ultrasound horn having a tip submerged in the drug solution for applying ultrasound radiation to the drug solution. The ultrasound radiation has a frequency in the range of 15 KHz and 1 MHz and is applied at an intensity, for a period of time and at a distance from said skin area effective to generate cavitation bubbles. The cavitation bubbles collapse and transfer their energy into the skin area, thus causing the formation of pores in the skin area. The ultrasound radiation intensity and distance from the skin area are also effective in generating ultrasonic jets, which ultrasonic jets then drive the drug solution through the end adjacent the skin area and the formed pores into the skin.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing in-vivo sonoporation of skin area and transdermal and/or intradermal delivery of a drug solution comprising:
- an ultrasound horn having a tip submerged in said drug solution and applying ultrasound radiation to said drug solution wherein said ultrasound radiation has a frequency in the range of 15 KHz and 1 MHz and is applied at an intensity, for a period of time and at a distance from said skin area effective to generate cavitation bubbles, wherein said cavitation bubbles collapse and transfer their energy into the skin area thus causing the formation of pores in the skin area; and
wherein said ultrasound radiation intensity and distance from the skin area are also effective in generating ultrasonic jets, said ultrasonic jets driving said drug solution transdermally through said formed pores into the skin area. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- an ultrasound horn having a tip submerged in said drug solution and applying ultrasound radiation to said drug solution wherein said ultrasound radiation has a frequency in the range of 15 KHz and 1 MHz and is applied at an intensity, for a period of time and at a distance from said skin area effective to generate cavitation bubbles, wherein said cavitation bubbles collapse and transfer their energy into the skin area thus causing the formation of pores in the skin area; and
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2. The apparatus of 1 wherein said formed pores have a diameter in the range of 1 micrometer to 100 micrometers.
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3. The apparatus of 1 wherein said tip is removably connected to said ultrasound horn.
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4. The apparatus of 1 wherein said tip comprises a flat distal end surface.
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5. The apparatus of 1 wherein said tip comprises a concave distal end surface.
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9. The apparatus of 8 wherein said wick comprises a spongy material having highly absorbent and hydrophilic properties.
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10. The apparatus of 8 wherein said wick comprises a highly absorbent and hydrophilic material selected from the group consisting of absorbent cellulose material, polyvinyl alcohol sponge, sodium carboxy-methyl cellulose, and blotting paper.
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11. The apparatus of 8 wherein said inner wall comprises first and second grooves, said tip comprises a body having first and second grooves and wherein said first and second grooves of the tip body are arranged opposite said first and second grooves of the container inner wall, the arrangement defining first and second spaces for accommodating first and second o-rings, respectively.
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12. The apparatus of 8 wherein said container further comprises an inlet septum for filling said container with the solution.
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24. A method of performing in-vivo sonoporation of a skin area and transdermal and/or intradermal delivery of a drug solution comprising:
- providing a container containing a predetermined amount of said drug solution;
submerging a tip of an ultrasound horn in said drug solution through said container;
placing said container in contact with said skin area; and
applying ultrasound radiation to said drug solution wherein said ultrasound radiation has a frequency in the range of 15 KHz and 1 MHz and is applied at an intensity, for a period of time and at a distance from said skin area effective to generate cavitation bubbles, wherein said cavitation bubbles collapse and transfer their energy into the skin area thus causing the formation of pores in the skin area; and
wherein said ultrasound radiation intensity and distance from the skin area are also effective in generating ultrasonic jets, said ultrasonic jets driving said drug solution transdermally through said formed pores into the skin area. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
- providing a container containing a predetermined amount of said drug solution;
Specification