Method and apparatus for delivery of therapeutic agents

• US 8,108,040 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ichor Medical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ichor Medical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bernard, Robert M., Hannaman, Andrew W., Bernard, Brady M., Masterson, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCKELMAN, MARK
• Application Number:
  US10/510,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20050215941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,224 Days
• Field of Search: 604 20- 21, 604/117, 604/143, 604146-147, 607/76, 607/68
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/206 With automatic needle insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2033 Spring-loaded one-shot injectors with or without automatic needle insertion multishot dosing syringes A61M5/31525, needle insertion only A61M5/3287
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2053 Media being expelled from injector by pressurised fluid or vacuum for infusion A61M5/145, A61M5/155
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/30 Syringes for injection by jet action, without needle, e.g. for use with replaceable ampoules or carpules
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/326 Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/306 Arrangements where at least part of the apparatus is introduced into the body

Abstract

Method and apparatus for the reproducible, consistent and efficacious delivery of a therapeutic agent to a patient. The invention comprises means for the controlled administration of the therapeutic agent (30) through an orifice to the patient, a plurality of penetrating electrodes (56) arranged with a predetermined spatial relationship relative to the orifice (14), and means for generating an electrical signal operatively connected to the electrodes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the delivery of a therapeutic agent to cells in a predetermined site within tissue of a patient comprising:

a means for the administration of said therapeutic agent to said patient, comprising a reservoir for the therapeutic agent, at least one orifice through which the agent is administered, and a first controlled source of energy sufficient to transfer a predetermined amount of the therapeutic agent from said reservoir through said orifice to the predetermined site within tissue of the patient;

a detachable electrode subassembly comprising a plurality of penetrating electrodes operatively connected to a second controlled source of energy sufficient to deploy the electrodes to a predetermined depth within the patient, which detachable subassembly is detachable relative to the orifice through which the agent is administered; and

an electrical signal generator which facilitates the delivery of said therapeutic agent, which generator is operatively connected to said electrodes.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the first controlled source of energy to transfer the therapeutic agent is at least one of a spring, compressed gas, and electromechanical energy source.