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US5911223A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Introduction of modifying agents into skin by electroporation
Assignee: University of California
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Filing: 1996-08-09
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Granted: 1999-06-15
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Expires: 2016-08-09
Abstract
Abstract A method of modifying epidermis for transport of a material by electroporation includes applying to epidermis an agent that, upon entry into the epidermis, will modify the epidermis to thereby cause and altered rate of transport of a material across the epidermis. Typically, the altered rate will be an increased rate of transport. The epidermis is electroporated, whereby at least a portion of the modifying agent enters the electroporated epidermis, thereby modifying the epidermis to cause an altered rate of transport of a material across the epidermis. In another embodiment, the modifying agent can modify the epidermis to enable measurement and/or monitoring of physiological conditions or change within or beneath the epidermis. The modifying agents can also be employed to facilitate discharge of fluids from within an organism, such as by providing pathways for discharge of fluids from a tumor. Examples of modifying agents include: oxidizing agents; reducing agents; particles, such as optical indicator beads or beads that include drugs to be released into tissue; electrically-charged particles or molecules; etc. Materials that can be transported by the method of the invention include, for example, proteins, nucleic acids, electrically charged molecules or particles, microorganisms suitable for immunization, etc. Also, tissues other than skin can be employed in the method of the invention.
Inventors
- 👤 James C. Weaver
- 👤 Tani Chen
- 👤 Christopher Cullander
- 👤 Richard Guy
- 👤 Robert S. Langer
- 👤 Thomas E. Zewert
- 👤 Uwe Pliquett
- 👤 Rita Vanbever
- 👤 Mark R. Prausnitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:42
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/0404; A61N1/0408; A61N1/0412; A61N1/0416; A61N1/0424; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/325; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00743; A61B2017/00747; A61B2017/00765; A61N1/0428; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S607/00; Y10S607/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of modifying epidermis for transport of a material by electroporation, comprising the steps of: a). applying to epidermis a modifying agent which can enter or pass across the epidermis while the epidermis is in an electroporated state and that, upon entry into the epidermis, will modify the epidermis to thereby cause an altered rate of transport of a material across said epidermis; and b). electroporating the epidermis, thereby at least a portion of the agent enters the electroporated epidermis, thereby modifying the epidermis to cause an altered rate of transport of a material across said epidermis.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of modifying epidermis for transport of a material by electroporation, comprising the steps of: a). applying to epidermis a modifying agent which can enter or pass across the epidermis while the epidermis is in an electroporated state and that, upon entry into the epidermis, will modify the epidermis to thereby cause an altered rate of transport of a material across said epidermis; and b). electroporating the epidermis, thereby at least a portion of the agent enters the electroporated epidermis, thereby modifying the epidermis to cause an altered rate of transport of a material across said epidermis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the agent decreases the rate of transport of the material into the epidermis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the agent increases the rate of transport of the material into the epidermis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the agent modifies the epidermis by physiochemically disrupting a keratin component of the epidermis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is a reducing agent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the reducing agent is sodium thiosulfate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the reducing agent is glutathione.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is denaturing agent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is an enzyme that catalyzes a reaction that disrupts a barrier of said epidermis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of applying the material to said epidermis at a point proximate to said agent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said material is applied to the epidermis after the agent has entered the epidermis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said material is a protein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said material is a nucleic acid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said material is a particle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14, further including the step of measuring transmission of light through epidermis containing the particle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the particle comprises an optical indicator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 16, wherein a ratiometric indicator is employed to measure transmission of light through the epidermis containing the particle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 17, wherein at least two particles of different size are employed, and wherein at least one particle comprises an optical standard bead and at least one particles comprises an optical indicator bead, whereby a non-spectral measurement can be made of the particles contained in the epidermis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 18, wherein said optical indicator beads are responsive to an environmental condition selected from the group consisting of oxygen partial pressure, carbon dioxide partial pressure, pH and temperature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of claim 15, wherein the particle includes at least one reagent that reacts with a component contacting the particle and to thereby indicate a concentration of said environmental component.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the agent and material are components of a composition applied to said epidermis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 14, further including the step of extracting said particle from the epidermis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of claim 14, wherein said particle causes formation of a pathway in said epidermis during entry into the epidermis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of claim 23, wherein said particle is directed through the epidermis to a tumor beneath said epidermis, whereby the pathway formed by entry of the particle causes pressure within the tumor to be reduced.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of claim 24, further including the step of applying pressure to the tumor by application of ultrasound to the tumor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of claim 14, further including the step of applying an electric field across the epidermis, whereby iontophoretic transport of the material across the epidermis is increased.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 14, wherein the particle is a bead.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 27, further including the step of electroporating the epidermis after the agent has entered the epidermis, whereby said material applied to the epidermis enters the epidermis.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 27, wherein the bead includes at least one drug.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 27, wherein the particle is a microorganism.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of claim 14, wherein the particle is directed into a stratum corneum layer of said epidermis.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 11, further including the step of applying a force to the modified epidermis, whereby the material enters the modified epidermis containing the agent.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 32, wherein said force includes a mechanical force.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 33, wherein said force includes electrocompression.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method of claim 32, wherein the force is a magnetic force.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, further including the step of measuring the electrical resistance of the epidermis after said epidermis is electroporated.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the agent carries an electrical charge.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 37, wherein the agent is a cation.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 37, wherein the agent is an anion.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for transporting a material into an epidermis, comprising the steps of: a). applying to epidermis a composition of at least one electrically charged modifying agent which can enter of pass across the epidermis while said epidermis is in an electroporated state and that, upon entry into the epidermis, will modify the epidermis to thereby cause an altered rate of transport of a material of the composition, and at least one material to be transported across the epidermis by electroporation; and b). electroporating the epidermis at said composition, whereby at least a portion of the electrically charged agent enters the epidermis to cause an altered rate of transport of the material across the epidermis.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for transporting a material into an epidermis, comprising the steps of: a). applying to epidermis a composition of at least one electrically charged modifying agent which can enter of pass across the epidermis while said epidermis is in an electroporated state and that, upon entry into the epidermis, will modify the epidermis to thereby cause an altered rate of transport of a material of the composition, and at least one material to be transported across the epidermis by electroporation; and b). electroporating the epidermis at said composition, whereby at least a portion of the electrically charged agent enters the epidermis to cause an altered rate of transport of the material across the epidermis.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of claim 40, wherein said electrically charged agent carries an amount of charge that changes as said agent is directed into the epidermis.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of claim 41, wherein the charge associated with the electrically charged agent changes as a consequence of a difference of the pH within said epidermis from that of a composition from which said agent is transported.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of claim 41, wherein the charge of the electrically charged agent changes upon entry into the epidermis as a consequence of interaction with an enzyme within said epidermis.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of modifying a tissue for transport of a material by electroporation, comprising the steps of: a). electroporating a region of tissue; and b). applying to said region a modifying agent which can enter or pass across said region of tissue while said region is in an electroporated state and that enters the electroporated tissue and modifies said tissue, whereby a material applied to said region will be transported across the modified tissue at a different rate than into electroporated tissue that is not modified by said agent.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of modifying a tissue for transport of a material by electroporation, comprising the steps of: a). electroporating a region of tissue; and b). applying to said region a modifying agent which can enter or pass across said region of tissue while said region is in an electroporated state and that enters the electroporated tissue and modifies said tissue, whereby a material applied to said region will be transported across the modified tissue at a different rate than into electroporated tissue that is not modified by said agent.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 44, further including the step of applying said material to said region of tissue.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 45, further including the step of applying an electric field across the tissue, whereby iontophoretic transport of the material across the tissue is increased.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 46, further including the step of applying at least one electrical pulse to said region, whereby said region is further electroporated, thereby causing additional transport of material at said region.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 44, further including the step of withdrawing the material from the tissue.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 48, wherein said tissue is epidermis.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-06-14 | 2002-12-14 | 2003-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-06-14 | 2006-12-14 | 2007-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-06-14 | 2010-12-14 | 2011-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |