Multi-cap reservoir devices for controlled release or exposure of reservoir contents

• US 7,604,628 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DARE MB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Inventors: Sbiaa, Zouhair, Santini, John T. Jr., Sheppard, Norman F. Jr., Uhland, Scott A., Coppeta, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell; Victoria P
• Application Number:
  US11/217,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20060057737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 604/890.1
• US Class Current: 604/890.1
• 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 9/0024 Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0627 Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0677 phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

Reservoir-based devices are provided in which an individual reservoir has at least two openings with a support structure therebetween and closed by reservoir caps covering the openings to control release or exposure of reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the device is an implantable medical device and provides for the controlled release of drug or exposure of a sensor. The device includes a substrate; at least one reservoir disposed in the substrate, the reservoir having two or more openings; reservoir contents located in the reservoir; two or more discrete reservoir caps, each reservoir cap sealingly covering at least one of the reservoir openings; and control means for selectively disintegrating or permeabilizing the reservoir caps.

Claims

1. A device for the controlled release or exposure of reservoir contents comprising:

a substrate;

at least one reservoir disposed in the substrate, the reservoir having two or more openings on the same side of the substrate;

reservoir contents located in the reservoir;

two or more discrete, electrically conductive reservoir caps, each reservoir cap sealingly covering a single reservoir opening; and

control means for selectively disintegrating or permeabilizing the reservoir caps to permit release or exposure of the reservoir contents via said two or more openings,

wherein the substrate comprises at least one reservoir cap support extending over the reservoir contents in said at least one reservoir, the reservoir cap support supporting in part said two or more reservoir caps.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoirs caps can be individually disintegrated or permeabilized.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the two or more reservoir caps covering a selected reservoir can he disintegrated substantially simultaneously.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the two or more reservoir caps covering a selected reservoir can be disintegrated serially.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein two or more of the reservoir caps are in electrical communication and are operable to simultaneously disintegrate upon application of an electrical current.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises two or more substrate portions bonded together, one of said substrate portions comprising the at least one reservoir cap support.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir cap support is made from a coating or deposited material distinct from the substrate.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is a micro-reservoir.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir caps comprise a metal film.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means disintegrates the reservoir cap.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the reservoir cap disintegration comprises electrothermal ablation.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the reservoir cap disintegration comprises a chemical reaction, dissolution, biodegradation, mechanical rupture, a phase change, or a combination thereof.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the reservoir caps are electrically conductive material, further comprising an electrical input lead and an electrical output lead both of which are connected to said reservoir caps such that upon application of an electrical current through the reservoir caps, via the input leads and output leads, the reservoir caps are disintegrated to release or expose the reservoir contents.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir contents comprises a drug.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir contents comprises a sensor or a component thereof.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an array of two or more of the reservoirs.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises three or more reservoir openings and corresponding reservoir caps.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising actuation electronics and a power source, wherein the device is packaged for implantation into a human or animal patient.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir cap comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, titanium, tin, and alloys and other combinations thereof.

20. A method for the controlled delivery of molecules comprising:

positioning at a preselected location the device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir contents comprise chemical molecules for delivery;

controlling the diffusion through or disintegration of the reservoir caps to enable the molecules to pass outward from the device to the preselected location.

21. A method for the controlled exposure of an immobilized reagent or a secondary device comprising:

positioning at a preselected location the device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir contents comprise an immobilized reagent, a secondary device, or a combination thereof;

controlling the disintegration of the reservoir caps to expose the reservoir contents to the environment at the preselected location.

22. A device for the controlled release or exposure of reservoir contents comprising:

a substrate having a reservoir which has a first opening and a second opening;

reservoir contents located in the reservoir;

first and second discrete reservoir caps, the first discrete reservoir cap sealingly covering the first opening and the second discrete reservoir cap sealingly covering the second opening;

a source of electric power and circuitry for selectively disintegrating the first and second discrete reservoir caps; and

at least one reservoir cap support which extends over the reservoir contents, which defines the first and second openings, and which supports the first and second discrete reservoir caps.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the at least one reservoir cap support is integrally connected to the substrate.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the reservoir contents comprises proteins, nucleic acids, or cells.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the reservoir contents comprises an enzyme immobilized in the reservoir.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the reservoir contents comprises a drug.

27. An implantable medical device comprising:

a substrate having a reservoir defined therein, said reservoir having two or more discrete openings;

a pharmaceutical agent, sensor, or sensor component located within said at least one reservoir;

two or more discrete reservoir caps, each reservoir cap comprising an electrically conductive material and closing off a single one of said two or more discrete openings of said reservoir;

an electrical input lead connected to each of said two or more reservoir caps;

an electrical output lead connected to each of said two or more reservoir caps; and

a source of electric power and circuitry for applying an electrical current through each of said two or more discrete reservoir caps, via said electrical input lead and said electrical output lead, in an amount effective to disintegrate said two or more reservoir caps.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the substrate comprises at least one reservoir cap support extending over the reservoir contents, wherein the two or more reservoir caps are in part supported by the at least one reservoir cap support.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the substrate comprises two or more substrate portions bonded together, one of said substrate portions comprising the at least one reservoir cap support.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the substrate comprises a planar surface and the two or more openings are extend through said planar surface.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the two or more reservoir caps are operable to simultaneously disintegrate upon said application of electrical current.