# US 11,439,747 B2 · Drug delivery device and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,747 B2 - Document ID: US11439747B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/152,063 - Filed: 2018-10-04 - Published: 2019-05-02 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-04 - Assignees: Purdue Research Foundation - Applicants: Purdue Research Foundation - Inventors: Hyowon Lee; Bahar Dhowan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439747B2 ## CPC - A61M 5/14276: {specially adapted for implantation} - A61B 5/4839: {combined with drug delivery} - A61B 5/4845: {Toxicology, e.g. by detection of alcohol, drug or toxic products (A61B5/4848 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/4848: {Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication} - A61K 9/0024: {Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue (compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L)} - A61K 9/0097: {Medicinal compositions released by microdevices, e.g. microelectromechanical systems [MEMS], microdevices comprising chips or microdevices on silicon} - A61M 5/44: having means for cooling or heating the devices or media - A61M 31/002: {Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time (artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50)} - A61M 37/0069: {Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments (for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027)} - A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20) - A61F 2250/0068: the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir - A61K 31/485: Morphinan derivatives, e.g. morphine, codeine - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract An implantable drug delivery device and method for delivering a drug to a living body. The device includes a housing having at least one opening, a reservoir within the housing adapted to contain a drug, a temporary seal closing the opening of the housing, and a heating element in thermal contact with the temporary seal. The heating element is adapted to generate heat in response to a magnetic field to melt the temporary seal and release a drug within the reservoir through the opening of the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: an implantable drug delivery device for delivering at least one drug to a living body, the device comprising: a housing having at least one opening; a reservoir within the housing adapted to contain the at least one drug; a temporary seal closing the at least one opening of the housing; and a tubular-shaped ferrous heating element incorporated into the housing so as to be within the reservoir and in thermal contact with the temporary seal, the heating element configured to generate heat in response to electrical current supplied thereto via application of an oscillating magnetic field to at least partially melt the temporary seal and release the at least one drug within the reservoir through the at least one opening of the housing; an apparatus configured to apply the oscillating magnetic field to the implantable drug delivery device; and one or more sensors configured to attach to or be carried in proximity to the living body and to monitor the living body to detect changes in body functions of the living body indicative of a condition; wherein the apparatus is configured to automatically apply the oscillating magnetic field to the implantable drug delivery device such that the heating element generates heat sufficient to at least partially melt the temporary seal and release the at least one drug from the reservoir in response to the one or more sensors detecting the changes in the body functions of the living body indicative of the condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable drug delivery device contains the at least one drug within the reservoir. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one drug is naloxone, epinephrine, or naltrexone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one drug is contained within the reservoir under pressure so as to be forcibly ejected from the reservoir once the temporary seal has at least partially melted. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the temporary seal is formed of a biocompatible cross-linked polymer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to be manually operated to apply the oscillating magnetic field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a radio frequency generator configured to externally generate an emission that wirelessly energizes the heating element to heat the temporary seal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable drug delivery device is sized and configured to be subcutaneously implanted. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor configured to monitor a body temperature of the living body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the condition is an opioid overdose and the at least one drug includes an anti-overdose drug configured to treat the opioid overdose. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method of using the implantable drug delivery device of claim 1 to deliver the at least one drug to the living body, the method comprising: placing the at least one drug in the reservoir of the housing; implanting the implantable drug delivery device in the living body; and energizing the heating element in response to a reaction of the living body, the heating element sufficiently melting the temporary seal to release the at least one drug into the living body through the at least one opening in the housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the reaction of the living body is a physiological reaction to an opioid overdose. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the physiological reaction is a rise in body temperature.