Method of opening reservoir of containment device

• US 7,879,019 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microchips Biotech, Inc. (Keratin Biosciences, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Inventors: Santini, John T. Jr., Sheppard, Norman F. Jr., Ausiello, Dennis, Cima, Michael J., Langer, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehta; Bhisma
• Application Number:
  US11/925,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20080221557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/19, 604/20, 604/500, 604/521, 604/65, 604/66, 604/93.01, 604/113
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• 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 9/0048 Eye, e.g. artificial tears
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants
• 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: A61P 9/10 for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/96 the devices being encapsulated in a common layer, e.g. neo-wafer or pseudo-wafer, said common layer being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01011 Sodium [Na]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0102 Calcium [Ca]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12043 : Photo diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 : MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor

Abstract

A method is provided for selectively opening a containment reservoir. The method includes providing a device which comprises a substrate in which at least one reservoir is located and covered by a reservoir cap; and directing laser light to the reservoir cap to cause the reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable. The device may be an implantable medical device. The reservoirs may contain a drug for controlled release or a biosensor.

Claims

1. A method of selectively opening a containment reservoir, comprising:

providing a device which comprises a substrate in which at least one reservoir is located, the at least one reservoir being sealed to contain therein a drug or a sensor and having an opening which is covered by a first reservoir cap; and

directing laser light to the reservoir cap to cause the reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable, thereby opening the at least one reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir cap comprises a polymer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an implantable medical device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the drug.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the drug comprises a therapeutic or prophylactic agent which is selected from the group consisting of anti-microbials, anti-allergenics, anti-inflammatories, vaccines, growth factors, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, angiogenesis inhibitors, angiostatin, antiproliferative agents, anti-angiogenic factors, immunomodulatory agents, gene transfer vectors, cytotoxic agents, and chemotherapy medications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the sensor, and the sensor is a biosensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the device further comprises a second reservoir being sealed to contain therein a drug or a sensor and having an opening which is covered by a second reservoir cap;

at a first time, directing laser light to the first reservoir cap to cause the first reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable; and

at a second, later time, directing laser light to the second reservoir cap to cause the second reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the drug, and the drug comprises an angiogenesis inhibitor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the drug, and the drug comprises a steroid.

10. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device which comprises a substrate in which at least one reservoir is located, the at least one reservoir sealed to contain therein a drug or a sensor and having an opening which is covered by a reservoir cap; and

a laser for directing laser light to the reservoir cap to cause the reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the drug, the drug being releasable following disintegration or permeabilization of the reservoir cap by the laser light.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises a flexible polymeric material or wherein the substrate is attached to a flexible supporting layer.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the laser is an ophthalmic laser.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the drug, and the drug comprises an angiogenesis inhibitor.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the drug, and the drug comprises a steroid.

16. A method of selectively opening a containment reservoir. comprising

providing an implantable medical device which comprises a substrate in which at least one reservoir is located, the at least one reservoir being sealed to contain therein a drug or a sensor and having an opening which is covered by a first reservoir cap;

and

directing laser light to the reservoir cap to cause the reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable, thereby opening the at least one reservoir;

wherein the implantable medical device is implanted in or on a patient'"'"'s eye before directing the laser light to the reservoir cap.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the laser light is directed through the cornea of the eye.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one reservoir contains the drug which is released to the choroid, retina, or intraocular fluid following opening of the at least one reservoir.