Skin dressing with electrodes and physiologically active precursor substance

• US 9,717,891 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microarray Limited
• Original Assignee: Microarray Limited
• Inventors: Davis, Paul, Austin, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Patton, Amanda
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDWARDS, PHILIP CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US14/383,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20150025479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 604 20
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00 Bandages or dressings radioactive dressings A61N5/1029; Absorbent pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/00063 comprising medicaments or additives, e.g. odor control, PH control, debriding, antimicrobic drug delivery dressings A61K9/70; chemical aspect of the additives A61L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/01 Non-adhesive bandages or dressings
• 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: A61N 1/0436 Material of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0468 Specially adapted for promoting wound healing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0496 characterised by using specific chemical compositions, e.g. hydrogel compositions, adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/00 Drugs for dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 17/02 for treating wounds, ulcers, burns, scars, keloids, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents

Abstract

A skin dressing comprising first and second electrodes, an electrical power supply not electrically connected to either or both of the first and second electrodes, and further comprising a physiologically or antimicrobially active precursor substance, the dressing being operable, when placed on a skin site to be treated, to connect the electrical power supply to both the first and second electrodes, thereby to trigger the electrochemical oxidation or reduction of the precursor substance on one of the electrodes to produce a physiologically or antimicrobially active oxidized or reduced compound which is capable of diffusing towards the skin site for the treatment thereof.

Claims

1. A skin dressing comprising first and second electrodes, an electrical power supply not electrically connected to either one or both of the first and second electrodes, and further comprising an inactive precursor substance for a physiologically or antimicrobially active substance, the dressing being activatable, when placed on a skin site to be treated, by electrical connection to the electrical power supply to both the first and second electrodes, thereby to trigger the electrochemical oxidation or reduction of the inactive precursor substance on one of the electrodes to produce a physiologically or antimicrobially active oxidised or reduced compound which is capable of diffusing towards the skin site for the treatment thereof.

2. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are sheet-like and substantially planar.

3. The skin dressing according to claim 2, wherein the electrodes have a thickness of less than 1.0 mm.

4. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are co-planar.

5. The skin dressing according to claim 4, wherein one electrode substantially surrounds the other electrode.

6. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the surface area of the first electrode to the second electrode is at least 2:

1.

7. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein at least one electrode comprises multiple strands or elements, which are spread apart from each other.

8. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are non-metallic.

9. The skin dressing according to claim 8, wherein the electrodes are made from carbon.

10. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein the inactive precursor substance comprises an iodide salt.

11. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein the inactive precursor substance comprises a sulphate salt.

12. The skin dressing according to claim 1, wherein the potential difference applied to the electrodes is from 1 to 10 volts.

13. The skin dressing according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating tab configured for removal from the electrodes, wherein removal makes the electrical connection to the electrical power supply.

14. A packaged skin dressing comprising the skin dressing according to claim 13 and packaging enclosing the skin dressing, wherein the removal of the insulating tab is effected by removal of the skin dressing from its packaging.

15. The skin dressing according to claim 1, which also comprises a skin-contacting layer which acts as a reservoir of the inactive precursor substance, is a diffusion medium for the produced active compound and physically separates the electrodes from the skin site.

16. The skin dressing according to claim 15, wherein the skin-contacting layer is in the form of a sheet, layer or film.

17. The skin dressing according to claim 16, wherein the sheet, layer or film has a thickness in the range 0.01 to 2.0 mm.

18. The skin dressing according to claim 15, wherein the skin-contacting layer is in a hydrated condition containing sufficient water for an electrochemical circuit to be formed and for the produced active compound to diffuse through the skin-contacting layer and to the skin site.

19. The skin dressing according to claim 15, wherein the skin-contacting layer is in the form of a hydrogel, a sponge, a foam or a hydrophilic matrix that can hold sufficient water to allow a controlled diffusion path from the electrodes to the skin site.

20. A method of applying a skin dressing to a skin site, the method comprising:

providing a skin dressing comprising first and second electrodes, an electrical power supply not electrically connected to at least one of the first and second electrodes, and an inactive precursor substance;

placing the skin dressing on the skin site;

connecting the electrical power supply to at least one of the first and second electrodes to form an electrochemical circuit; and

producing a physiologically or antimicrobially active compound by electrochemical oxidation or reduction of the inactive precursor substance on one of the first electrode and the second electrode.