Iontophoretic systems, devices, and methods of delivery of active agents to biological interface

• US 7,848,801 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TTI Ellebeau, Inc. (Ease Asset Management Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TTI Ellebeau, Inc. (Ease Asset Management Ltd.)
• Inventors: Carter, Darrick, Smith, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSINSKI, BRADLEY JAMES
• Application Number:
  US11/618,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 604/21
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0436 Material of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0444 Membrane
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0448 Drug reservoir
• 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

A transdermal delivery device to passively deliver active agents to a biological interface includes an active agent reservoir comprising a first active agent of a first polarity; an outer active agent membrane taking the form of an ion-exchange membrane of a second polarity, an interfacial layer having a plurality of freely diffusible monovalent co-ions of the first polarity and having a first side adjacent to the outer active agent membrane and a second side configured to contact a biological interface.

Claims

1. A transdermal delivery device to passively deliver active agents to a biological interface, comprising:

an active agent reservoir comprising a first active agent of a first polarity;

an outer active agent membrane comprising a second active agent of the first polarity distributed therein, the outer active agent membrane taking the form of an ion-exchange membrane of a second polarity; and

an interfacial layer having a first side adjacent to the outer active agent membrane and a second side configured to contact a biological interface, the interfacial layer comprising a plurality of freely diffusible monovalent co-ions of the first polarity.

2. The transdermal delivery device of claim 1 wherein the interfacial layer comprises a porous membrane material.

3. The transdermal delivery device of claim 2 wherein the interfacial layer takes the form of a gel or an adhesive.

4. The transdermal delivery device of claim 1 wherein the first polarity of the monovalent co-ions of the interfacial layer being opposite to the second polarity of the ion-exchange membrane.

5. The transdermal delivery device of claim 1 wherein the interfacial layer has a thickness of less than about 100 μ

m.

6. The transdermal delivery device of claim 1 wherein the first and the second active agents are the same.

7. The transdermal delivery device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of monovalent co-ions have lipophilic counter-ions.

8. The transdermal delivery device of claim 1 wherein the monovalent co-ions have a higher affinity than the second active agent has for the outer active agent membrane.

9. The transdermal delivery device of claim 1 wherein the monovalent co-ions are capable of diffusing to the outer active agent membrane and displacing the second active agent distributed therein.