In-body power source having high surface area electrode

• US 8,956,288 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Proteus Digital Health, Inc. (Otsuka Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Hafezi, Hooman, Robertson, Timothy, Snyder, Eric, Cozad, Brad
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/527,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20100069717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,560 Days
• Field of Search: 429/401, 429/405, 429/406, 429/428, 429431-432, 429523-535, 429 61- 63, 429 90- 93, 429118-119, 429121-122, 429124-147, 429163-187, 429208-214, 429219-231, 429247-255, 128920-925, 600300-301, 600/309, 600/327, 600/361, 600/372, 600/101, 600/117
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/04 Constructional details of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0028 Body tissue as transmission medium, i.e. transmission systems where the medium is the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/07 into the form of capsules or similar small containers for oral use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/00 Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 23/00 Anaesthetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/04 Centrally acting analgesics, e.g. opioids
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/02 Local antiseptics
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/325 Electric arc evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 13/02 with inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 9/04 with inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2200/00 Transmission systems for measured values, control or similar signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/02 Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0416 involving impregnation with a solution, dispersion, paste or dry powder H01M4/0438 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0426 : Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/668 : Composites of electroconductive material and synthetic resins
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/34 : Immersion cells, e.g. sea-water cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/08 : Fuel cells with aqueous electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Power sources that enable in-body devices, such as implantable and ingestible devices, are provided. Aspects of the in-body power sources of the invention include a solid support, a first high surface area electrode and a second electrode. Embodiments of the in-power sources are configured to emit a detectable signal upon contact with a target physiological site. Also provided are methods of making and using the power sources of the invention.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a solid support comprising a circuitry element;

a first electrode present on a surface of the solid support and coupled to the circuitry element, wherein the first electrode comprises a first active electrode material present on a porous under-layer, wherein the porous under-layer is selected to provide a surface area enhancement to the first electrode; and

a second electrode present on a surface of the solid support and coupled to the circuitry element, wherein the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode and comprises a second active electrode material that is different from the first active electrode material;

wherein the first and second active electrode materials provide a voltage potential difference to the circuitry element via completion of a battery when the first and second materials contact an electrically conductive fluid within a body; and

wherein upon application of the voltage potential to the circuitry element, the circuitry element is configured to generate a conductively transmitted signal that employs the body as a conduction medium such that the signal is conducted between the circuitry element and a receiver through the body tissues.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is dimensioned to be ingestible.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the porous under-layer comprises a conductive material.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the porous under-layer comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:

Au, Cu, Pt, Ir, Pd, Rh and Ru and alloys thereof.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the porous under-layer comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:

Ti and Wand alloys thereof.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the porous under-layer has a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 100 μ

m.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is present on the same surface of the solid support as the second electrode.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are present on opposite surfaces of the solid support.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier composition.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier composition is a tablet.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier composition is a capsule.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier composition comprises an active agent.

13. A system comprising:

a receiver; and

a device configured to communicate with the receiver, the device comprising;

a solid support comprising a circuitry element;

a first electrode present on a surface of the solid support and coupled to the circuitry element, wherein the first electrode comprises a first active electrode material present on a porous under-layer, wherein the porous under-layer is selected to provide a surface area enhancement to the first electrode; and

a second electrode present on a surface of the solid support and coupled to the circuitry element, wherein the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode and comprises a second active electrode material that is different from the first active electrode material;

wherein the first and second active electrode materials provide a voltage potential difference to the circuitry element via completion of a battery when the first and second materials contact an electrically conductive fluid within a body; and

wherein the device is configured to communicate a conductively transmitted signal that employs the body as a conduction medium;

wherein upon application of the voltage potential to the circuitry element, the circuitry element is configured to generate the conductively transmitted signal such that the signal is conducted between the circuitry element and the receiver through the body tissues.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said receiver is an in vivo receiver.

15. The system according claim 13, wherein said receiver is an ex vivo receiver.

16. A method comprising at least one of:

(a) emitting a conductively transmitted signal from an ingestible event marker;

(b) receiving a conductively transmitted signal from an ingestible event marker; and

(c) ingesting an ingestible event marker;

wherein the ingestible event marker comprises;

a solid support comprising a circuitry element;

a first electrode present on a surface of the solid support and coupled to the circuitry element, wherein the first electrode comprises a first active electrode material present on a porous under-layer, wherein the porous under-layer is selected to provide a surface area enhancement to the first electrode;

a second electrode present on a surface of the solid support and coupled to the circuitry element, wherein the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode and comprises a second active electrode material that is different from the first active electrode material;

wherein the first and second active electrode materials provide a voltage potential difference to the circuitry element via completion of a battery when the first and second materials contact an electrically conductive fluid within a body; and

pharmaceutically acceptable carrier composition; and

(d) communicating a conductively transmitted signal that employs the body as a conduction medium;

wherein upon application of the voltage potential to the circuitry element, the circuitry element is configured to generate the conductively transmitted signal such that the signal is conducted between the circuitry element and a receiver through the body tissues.

17. A method comprising:

producing a first electrode on a surface of a solid support of a device by;

providing a porous under-layer on a surface of the solid support, wherein the porous under-layer is selected to provide a surface area enhancement to the first electrode; and

providing a first active electrode material on the porous under-layer; and

producing a second electrode on a surface of the solid support, wherein the second electrode comprises a second active electrode material that is different from the first active electrode material;

wherein the first and second active electrode materials provide a voltage potential difference to a circuitry element via completion of a battery when the first and second materials contact an electrically conductive fluid within a body;

wherein the device is configured to communicate a conductively transmitted signal that employs the body as a conduction medium; and

wherein upon application of the voltage potential to the circuitry element, the circuitry element is configured to generate the conductively transmitted signal such that the signal is conducted between the circuitry element and a receiver through the body tissues.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the porous under-layer is provided by electrodeposition.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the porous under-layer is provided by cathodic arc deposition.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the porous under-layer is provided by electrophoretic deposition.