Introduction of modifying agents into skin by electroporation

US5911223A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US
• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• James C. Weaver · Sudbury, US
• Tani Chen · Piqua, US
• Christopher Cullander · Berkeley, US
• Richard Guy · Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, FR
• Robert S. Langer · Newton, US
• Thomas E. Zewert · Boston, US
• Uwe Pliquett · Heilbad Heiligenstadt, DE
• Rita Vanbever · Brussels, BE
• Mark R. Prausnitz · Decatur, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 9, 1996
• Grant date: Jun 15, 1999
• Expiry date: Aug 9, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S607/901
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

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 includ…