Patent US5415629A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5415629A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Programmable apparatus for the transdermal delivery of drugs and method
Assignee: MEDICAL IONOSONIC TECHNOLOGIES LLP
•
Filing: 1993-09-15
•
Granted: 1995-05-16
•
Expires: 2013-09-15
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus is described for the programmable iontophoretic or iontophoretic-ultrasonic (ionosonic) transdermal delivery of medication across the skin or other biological membrane. In one embodiment, the programmable apparatus controls the depth of penetration of a medicament into the skin. In another embodiment the programmed delivery of medicament is accompanied by an electrical stimulus for treating substance abuse. The apparatus can be adapted for large dermal area application or for a smaller area of application, depending on the choice of specific electrode employed. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus comprises a multichannel iontophoretic applicator electrode. Multiple piezoelectric elements are mounted on the iontophoretic electrode. The combination of ultrasonic vibration and iontophoresis improves the penetration of medicament in contact with the skin or mucous membrane underlying the electrode which can be programmably controlled by a CPU through the use of a EPROM. A wearable embodiment of an ionosonic or iontophoretic drug delivery system employing programmability may be used to produce response conditioning useful for the outpatient treatment of obesity, nicotine detoxification, and narcotic addiction detoxification.
Inventors
- 👤 Julian L. Henley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:55
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/0404; A61N1/0408; A61N1/0428; A61N1/0432; A61N1/044; A61M; A61M31/00; A61M31/002; A61M37/00; A61M37/0092; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/325; A61M2037/0007; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S607/00; Y10S607/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
An iontophoretic transdermal medicament applicator comprising in combination: (a) a medicament carrying layer; (b) an electrically conductive means electrically connected to said medicament carrying layer, sand electrically conductive means further comprising a plurality of electrode channels wherein each electrode channel is independently electrically driven to iontophoretically drive a medicament from said medicament carrying layer into the skin of a patient; (c) means for applying a driving voltage to said electrode channels; (d) programmable means for varying said driving voltage with respect to amplitude, polarity and time and wherein said programmable means for varying said polarity of said driving voltage is operable for controlling the depth of penetration of a medicament into the skin.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
An iontophoretic transdermal medicament applicator comprising in combination: (a) a medicament carrying layer; (b) an electrically conductive means electrically connected to said medicament carrying layer, sand electrically conductive means further comprising a plurality of electrode channels wherein each electrode channel is independently electrically driven to iontophoretically drive a medicament from said medicament carrying layer into the skin of a patient; (c) means for applying a driving voltage to said electrode channels; (d) programmable means for varying said driving voltage with respect to amplitude, polarity and time and wherein said programmable means for varying said polarity of said driving voltage is operable for controlling the depth of penetration of a medicament into the skin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive means further comprises a flexible sheet of substantially electrically non-conductive material with electrically conductive electrode channels supported thereon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 2 wherein the electrically conductive means comprises a layer of electrically conductive material laminated to a sheet of electrically non-conducting material and wherein a conducting circuit pattern is etched into said conducting layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 1 wherein the medicament carrying layer comprises a porous material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 1 wherein the medicament carrying layer comprises a conductive gel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 4 wherein said porous material comprises a sponge-like material with vertical cells.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 4 wherein the porous medicament carrying layer comprises an open-celled material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, paper, cotton, ceramic, silicone rubber and polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 1 wherein the polarity, duration and amplitude of said driving voltage applied to said multichannel electrodes by said means for applying said driving voltage are programmable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The ionotophoretic medicament applicator of claim 1 further comprising: (a) non-programmable means for dosing control; and (b) second programmable means for measuring the total dosage of said medicament delivered to said patient by said programmable means and non-programmable means to assure that the total daily dose is not exceeded.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 1 further comprising means for the delivery of an electrically generated stimulus to the skin to create a tingling sensation contemporaneously with the delivery of said medicament into said skin of said patient.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The iontophoretic medicament applicator of claim 9 wherein said medicament is an anticoagulant.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for controlling the depth of penetration of an iontophoretically administered medicament into the skin of a patient comprising the steps of: (a) applying a programmable, pulsed voltage having a first polarity to an iontophoresis electrode, said iontohoresis electrode being in electrical connection with a skin-contacting medicament-contaning layer for a first period of time of sufficient duration to drive at least a portion of said medicament from said medicament-containing layer into said skin until said skin is saturated with medicament; and (b) reversing said first polarity to stabilize said medicament within said skin for a second period of time of sufficient duration to permit at least partial depletion of said medicament within said skin.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for controlling the depth of penetration of an iontophoretically administered medicament into the skin of a patient comprising the steps of: (a) applying a programmable, pulsed voltage having a first polarity to an iontophoresis electrode, said iontohoresis electrode being in electrical connection with a skin-contacting medicament-contaning layer for a first period of time of sufficient duration to drive at least a portion of said medicament from said medicament-containing layer into said skin until said skin is saturated with medicament; and (b) reversing said first polarity to stabilize said medicament within said skin for a second period of time of sufficient duration to permit at least partial depletion of said medicament within said skin.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1967927A
Cited
US4301794A
Cited
US4820263A
Cited
US4474570A
Cited
US4808152A
Cited
US5135479A
Cited
US4786278A
Cited
JPS62230749A
Cited
US4931046A
Cited
US4865582A
Cited
US4942883A
Cited
US5053001A
Cited
US5006108A
Cited
WO1990008571A1
Cited
US5047007A
Cited
US5160316A
Cited
US5254081A
Cited
WO1993003790A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-05-15 | 1998-11-14 | 1999-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-05-15 | 2002-11-14 | 2003-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-05-15 | 2006-11-14 | 2007-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |