Effect of electric field and ultrasound for transdermal drug delivery

US6041253A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US

Inventors

• Joseph Kost · Charleston, US
• Uwe Pliquett · Heilbad Heiligenstadt, DE
• Samir Mitragotri · Goleta, US
• Robert S. Langer · Newton, US
• James C. Weaver · Sudbury, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 1, 1996
• Grant date: Mar 21, 2000
• Expiry date: Apr 1, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N1/0428
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Transdermal transport of molecules during sonophoresis (delivery or extraction) can be further enhanced by application of an electric field, for example, electroporation or iontophoresis. In a preferred embodiment the ultrasound is low frequency ultrasound which induces cavitation of the lipid layers of the stratum corneum (SC). This method provides higher drug transdermal fluxes, allows rapid control of transdermal fluxes, and allows drug delivery or analyte extraction at lower ultrasound intensities than when ultrasound is applied in the absence of an electric field.