Pre-Clinical Animal Testing Method

• US 20080083041A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Original Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Inventors: Ausiello, Dennis, Santini, John
• Application Number:
  US11/927,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20080083041A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• 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 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• 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: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0244 Micromachined materials, e.g. made from silicon wafers, microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] or comprising nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1042 Alimentary tract A61M2210/0618 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation

Abstract

Devices and methods are provided for wirelessly powering and/or communicating with implanted medical devices used for the controlled exposure and release of reservoir contents, such as drugs or sensors. The device may include a substrate having a plurality of reservoirs containing reservoir contents for release or exposure; and a rechargeable or on-demand power source comprising a local component which can wirelessly receive power from a remote transmitter wherein the received power can be used, directly or following transduction, to activate the release or exposure of the reservoir contents.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method of conducting a pre-clinical animal study comprising the steps of:

(a) implanting into a non-human test animal a device which comprises;

(1) a substrate,

(2) a plurality of discrete reservoirs located in the substrate, each reservoir having at least one opening,

(3) molecules disposed within the reservoirs,

(4) a plurality of reservoir caps, each closing off the at least one opening of each of the reservoirs, and

(5) activation means for selectively disintegrating or permeabilizing each said reservoir cap to expose the molecules in the reservoir;

(b) exposing, via the activation means, at least a first amount of the molecules to a physiological fluid of the test animal; and

(c) monitoring one or more physiological parameters of the test animal following exposing of the molecules.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of reservoirs is configured as a sensor, the molecules disposed within the reservoir defining a sensor chemistry,

said step of exposing exposes said sensor chemistry, and

said step of monitoring monitors a result of an interaction of said sensor chemistry with said physiological fluid.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of exposing the at least first amount of the molecules comprises releasing said molecules from at least one of the reservoirs into the test animal.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein exposure of the molecules is initiated by a preprogrammed microprocessors, by wireless telemetry, and/or by feedback from one or more sensors.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the one or more sensors are implanted into the test animal.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein a plurality of the sensors are sealed inside a second plurality of reservoirs until needed for sensing.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising exposing a second amount of the molecules into the test animal, and further monitoring one or more physiological parameters of the test animal following the exposure of the second amount of the molecules.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising releasing a second amount of the molecules into the test animal, and further monitoring one or more physiological parameters of the test animal following the release of the second amount of the molecules.

36. The method of claim 35, comprising changing a dosing schedule of the first and second amounts of the molecules.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein the molecules comprises a drug.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the molecules comprises a drug.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein the molecules are chosen from the group of hormones, steroids, chemotherapy medications, vaccines, gene delivery vectors and analgesic agents.