Implantable device

• US 20040133188A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beta Cell Technologies Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Beta Cell Technologies Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Boukobza, Nizza, Bloch, Konstantin, Bloch, Daria, Vardi, Pnina, Gross, Yosef
• Granted Patent: US 7,892,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/022 Artificial gland structures using bioreactors hemodialysis A61M1/16; hemofiltration A61M1/34; other extracorporeal blood treatment A61M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation

Abstract

A device for implanting in the body. The device comprises a chamber containing cells. The device also comprises an oxygen generator for providing oxygen to the cells.

Claims

1. A device implantable in a body comprising a chamber for holding functional cells and an oxygen generator for providing oxygen to the cells within the chamber.

2. A device according to claim 1 further comprising an oxygen sensor for determining oxygen concentration in a vicinity of the functional cells.

3. A device according to claim 2 further comprising a microprocessor configured to activate the oxygen generator when the oxygen concentration in the vicinity of the functional cells is below a first predetermined threshold, and to inactivate the oxygen generator when the oxygen concentration in the vicinity of the functional cells is above a second predetermined threshold.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the oxygen generator comprises one or more photosynthetic cells.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the photosynthetic cells are algae.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the photosynthetic cells are unicellular algae.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the unicellular algae are of the species Chlorella.

8. A device according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein the algae are genetically engineered algae.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the oxygen generator comprises isolated chloroplasts.

10. The device according to any one of the claims 4 to 9 further comprising a light source.

11. The device according to claim 10 wherein the light source is configured to he implanted in the body.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the light source is configured to be placed external to the body.

13. The device according to any one of claims 10 to 12 further comprising an optic fiber for conducting light from the light source to the photosynthetic cells or the chloroplasts.

14. The device according to claim 1 or claim 12 wherein the chamber has transparent walls.

15. A device according to claim 1 wherein the oxygen generator comprises electrodes for the electrolysis of water molecules to produce oxygen.

16. The device according to any one of claims 2 to 15 further configured to produce a sensible signal when the oxygen concentration is below a predetermined value.

17. A device according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein the functional cells release a needed substance and the chamber has walls, which are permeable to said substance but not to said cells, whereby said substance is released to the individual'"'"'s body.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein the functional cells are selected from the group consisting of:

pancreatic islet cells, hepatocytes, thyroid cells, parathyroid cells, neural cells, ovarian cells, adrenal cells, renal cortex cells, vascular endothelial cells, thymic cells, ovarian cells, testicular cells, genetically engineered cells, cloned cells and stem cells.

19. A device according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the functional cells can absorb or degrade a substance from an individual'"'"'s body, and the chamber has walls, which are permeable to said substance but not to said cells, whereby said substance is drained from the device'"'"'s surroundings into said chamber.

20. A device according to any one of claims 1-19, comprising a rechargeable battery.

21. A device according to claim 20, comprising an electric circuit linked to said rechargeable battery for remote induction recharging of said battery.

22. A device according to any one of claims 1-20, comprising an electronic circuitry for monitoring parameters of the device or its surrounding or controlling operational parameters of the device.

23. A device according to claim 20, wherein said circuitry comprises means for wireless communication with an external control or monitoring circuitry

24. A method of treating an individual suffering from a substance deficiency, comprising:

(a) providing an implentable device having a chamber for holding functional cells that are capable of secreting said substance, said chamber having walls permeable to said substance, and having an oxygen generator for providing oxygen to the cells; and

(b) implanting said device in the body of the individual.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the functional cells are selected from the group consisting of pancreatic islet cells, hepatocytes, thyroid cells, parathyroid cells, neural cells, ovarian cells, adrenal cells, renal cortex cells, vascular endothelial cells, thymic cells, ovarian cells, and testicular cells.

26. A method according to claim 25, for treating diabetes in an individual wherein the functional cells are insulin secreting cells such as pancreatic β

-cells.

27. A method of treating an individual suffering from a condition which can be ameliorated by removal of a substance from the body comprising:

(a) providing an implentable device having a chamber for holding functional cells that are capable of absorbing or degrading said substance, said chamber having walls permeable to said substance, and having an oxygen generator for providing oxygen to the cells; and

(b) implanting said device in the body of the individual.

28. A system for monitoring level of a substance in an individual'"'"'s body comprising an implentable device having a chamber for holding functional cells and a detector adapted to monitor a property of the functional cells that is correlated with the level of the substance in the medium surrounding the cells.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein said cells can react to a substance present in their environment by causing a change in a measurable property, and said detector is adapted to measure said measurable quantity.

30. A method of monitoring a level of a substance in an individual'"'"'s body, comprising implanting the system of claim 28 or 29 in the individual'"'"'s body and monitoring the reading of said detector.

31. A method according to claim 30 for monitoring a glucose level in an individuals body, wherein the functional cells are pancreatic β

-cells.