Medicament delivery system and process

• US 8,597,278 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biora Therapeutics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Medimetrics Personalized Drug Delivery B.V.
• Inventors: Trovato, Karen I., Shimizu, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SHEFALI DILIP
• Application Number:
  US12/306,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20090306632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,427 Days
• Field of Search: 604/19, 604/890.1, 604/892.1, 604/93.01, 604/891.1
• US Class Current: 604/890.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50

Abstract

A system and method for delivering a substance to a selected site in an alimentary canal of a human or animal includes an ingestible capsule. The capsule has a compartment for storing the substance; a receiver suitable for receiving a signal through animal tissue; a processor for storing a programmed set of instructions; and an electronic power source. The system and method further has at least one transmitter, disposed on a medically relevant site on a body of the human or animal, for sending the signal to the receiver. The receiver includes a proximity based detector for measuring proximity of the receiver to the at least one transmitter, and the processor instructs a releasing device of the capsule to release the substance upon recognition of a pre-programmed pattern of signals.

Claims

1. A system for delivering a substance to a selected site in an alimentary canal of a body of a human or animal, the system comprising:

at least one transmitter disposed in a housing in proximity to a medically relevant site on the body and transmitting signals; and

an ingestible capsule for receiving the signals, collecting data, and releasing the substance, the capsule comprising;

a compartment for storing the substance;

a releasing device for releasing the substance from the compartment;

a receiver suitable for receiving the signals through a tissue of the body;

a processor for storing a programmed set of instructions for recognizing patterns of the signals, each of the patterns is designed to identify a site in the body, and for initiating the releasing of the substance upon recognizing of a specific pattern; and

an electronic power source;

wherein the receiver comprises a proximity based detector for measuring proximity of the receiver to the at least one transmitter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected site for delivering the substance is a lower gastrointestinal tract of the body.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected site for delivering the substance is a colon of the body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a wearable apparatus.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a plaster that is attachable to the body.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximity based detector comprises a signal strength meter.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises a dosage pump.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises a transceiver that is programmed to transmit the data collected by the capsule.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the housing further comprises a transceiver that is programmed to issue commands to the capsule for taking a specified action based upon the collected data.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises a pH sensor for locating the capsule.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises a sensor for colonic bacteria or enzymes for locating the capsule.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the capsule further comprises diagnostic, analytical, treatment or imaging devices.

13. A system for delivering a substance to a selected site in an alimentary canal of a body of a human or animal, the system comprising:

a wearable apparatus attachable to the body and having at least one transmitter for sending wireless signals and a receiver for receiving information; and

an ingestible capsule for collecting the information and releasing the substance, the capsule comprising;

a storage compartment for storing the substance;

a releasing device for releasing the substance from the storage compartment upon recognizing of a specific pattern;

a receiver for receiving the wireless signals through a tissue of the body, the signals forming recognizable patterns, each of the patterns is designed to identify a site in the body where the substance is to be released;

a transmitter suitable for transmitting the information through the tissue of the body; and

an electronic power source.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the capsule further comprises a transceiver for sending the information from the capsule and the wearable apparatus further comprises a transceiver that is programmed to issue commands to the capsule for taking remedial action based upon the collected information.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the capsule further comprises a pH sensor for locating the capsule and/or a sensor for colonic bacteria or enzymes for locating the capsule.