Intraocular shunt manufacture

• US 9,592,154 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Romoda, Laszlo O., Hamstrom, Brian, Chandrakant, Partha, Horvath, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Sellman, Cachet
• Application Number:
  US14/834,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20160158063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 604/8, 427/2.24, 427/434.2, 427/434.6, 427/434.7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 3/12 for treating work of indefinite length

Abstract

An intraocular shunt can be manufactured using a system that includes a liquid bath and a wire, which is moved through the bath. When moved through the bath, the wire is coated with a material, such as gelatin. For example, the liquid bath can have a top layer, including water, and a bottom layer, including gelatin. The coated wire passes through an aperture formed in a plate component of the system. The gelatin can be dried on the wire in a humidity-controlled space, thereby forming the shunt.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a gelatin shunt, the method comprising:

moving a wire through a liquid bath, comprising a top layer and a bottom gelatin layer having a drug, to coat the wire with gelatin;

moving the gelatin-coated wire through an aperture; and

drying the gelatin on the wire in a humidity-controlled space, thereby manufacturing a drug-impregnated gelatin shunt.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug comprises an anti-mitotic pharmaceutical.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the drug comprises Mitomycin-C.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug comprises a steroid or antifibrotic agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug comprises 5-Fluorouracil or an anti-VEGF.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug comprises an antimicrobial agent.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the drug further comprises a non-pathogenic bacterium.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug comprises an antiseptic.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug comprises a time-release pharmaceutical or biological agent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the top layer comprises water.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the moving the wire comprises moving the wire through the top layer to encapsulate the gelatin-coated wire with water.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein after the drying, the shunt comprises a uniform shape and a uniform cross-section.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling humidity of the space by drying the gelatin on the wire in the presence of an ultrasonic water fog.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the aperture is positioned above the bottom layer.

15. A method for manufacturing a gelatin shunt, the method comprising:

moving a wire through a liquid bath to coat the wire with gelatin;

drawing the gelatin-coated wire through an aperture, thereby controlling a cross-sectional thickness of the gelatin coating on the wire;

drying the gelatin on the wire in a humidity-controlled space, in the presence of an ultrasonic water fog, thereby manufacturing a gelatin shunt; and

coating the shunt with a drug.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the drug comprises an anti-mitotic pharmaceutical.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the drug comprises Mitomycin-C.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the drug comprises a steroid or antifibrotic agent.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the drug comprises 5-Fluorouracil or an anti-VEGF.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the drug comprises an antimicrobial agent.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the drug further comprises a non-pathogenic bacterium.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the drug comprises an antiseptic.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the drug comprises a time-release pharmaceutical or biological agent.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the coating comprises coating an exterior surface of the shunt.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the coating comprises coating an interior surface of the shunt.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the liquid bath comprises a top layer and a bottom layer, the top layer comprising water, and the bottom layer comprising gelatin.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the gelatin-coated wire extends vertically during the drying step.