# US 10,863,932 B1 · Porous microneedles through sacrificial sugar incorporation, analyte detection system, and method for intradermal optode nanosensor implantation

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- Number: US 10,863,932 B1
- Document ID: US10863932B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/126,205
- Filed: 2018-09-10
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-07
- Assignees: Verily Life Sciences LLC
- Applicants: Verily Life Sciences LLC
- Inventors: Kimberly Kam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10863932B1

## CPC

- A61B 5/14514: {using means for aiding extraction of interstitial fluid, e.g. microneedles or suction}
- A61B 5/0075: {by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy (A61B5/0071 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/14546: {for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes}
- A61B 5/1455: using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
- A61B 5/002: {Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building (A61B5/0017 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/14532: {for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement}
- A61B 5/746: {Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms}
- A61B 5/7475: {User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A device and system for measuring and/or monitoring an analyte present on the skin is provided. The system includes a skin-mountable device that may be attached to an external skin surface and a reader device. The skin-mountable device includes a substrate, a plurality of micro-needles, and nanosensors encapsulated in the micro-needles. The micro-needles are attached to the substrate such that attachment of the substrate to an external skin surface causes to the micro-needles to penetrate into the skin to contact interstitial fluid. The micro-needles can include a sacrificial agent and are configured to become porous on contact with a solvent, e.g., interstitial fluid, which dissolves at least a portion of the sacrificial agent. The nanosensors encapsulated in the micro-needles include a detectable label and are configured to interact with a target analyte present in the interstitial fluid. The reader device is configured to detect the analyte in interstitial fluid via interaction with the skin-mountable device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device comprising: a plurality of micro-needles, each micro-needle having a base end and a tip, wherein the micro-needles comprise a sacrificial agent, wherein the sacrificial agent is configured to dissolve in interstitial fluid to form channels in the micro-needles; a substrate attached to the base ends of the micro-needles, wherein the substrate is configured for attachment to an external skin surface such that the micro-needles penetrate into the skin to contact interstitial fluid; and nanosensors encapsulated in the micro-needles, the nanosensors comprising nanoparticles having a detectable label and configured to interact with a target analyte present in interstitial fluid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the micro-needles are arranged in an array.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial agent is encapsulated in the micro-needles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the sacrificial agent comprises a sacrificial sugar.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the micro-needles include an enclosed hollow space and wherein the nanosensors are encapsulated in a hydrogel present in the enclosed hollow space.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the detectable label comprises a fluorophore.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises an adhesive material for attaching the substrate to the external skin surface, for attaching the base ends of the micro-needles to the substrate, or both.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the adhesive is water-soluble such that the substrate can be detached from the base end of the micro-needles and from the external skin surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the micro-needles, the nanosensors, or both are biodegradable.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the micro-needles comprise a biodegradable polymer.