US 12,285,627 B2 · Fabrication and irradiation of a radioactive isotope skin patch

Abstract

A novel treatment method is disclosed, wherein a patch configured to be placed on a patient's skin is activated, before placement, to deliver localized radiotherapy to a diseased area of the skin. The disclosed devices and methods minimize or prevent collateral damage to the neighboring tissues. In most cases, the disclosed devices and methods include coating a contoured, solid, flexible or conformal substrate with one or more lanthanide elements and then activating (e.g. neutron irradiation) the elements such that its resulting radioisotope emits beta-particles into the diseased skin surface when applied to the patient's skin. Novel processes are described for fabricating and irradiating the lanthanide-based skin patch, for example a holmium-based skin patch.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A skin patch device for treating a skin condition in a patient comprising:

a substrate layer comprising a substrate material selected for temperature and radiation resistance in an irradiation process;
a foil layer of metal disposed on an area of the substrate layer, comprising an isotope of an element selected from lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium,
promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium or yttrium,
wherein the foil layer is configured for activation with a neutron flux in the irradiation process to convert the isotope to a radioisotope that emits beta particles during decay, and
wherein the foil layer has a spatially uniform thickness that varies by less than 10% over the area of the foil layer disposed on the substrate layer;
and
an encapsulation layer comprising an encapsulation material disposed over the foil layer, wherein the encapsulation material is selected based on temperature and radiation resistance, in the radiation process.

4 more elements

A skin patch device for treating a skin condition in a patient, comprising:

a substrate layer comprising a polyimide substrate material selected for temperature and radiation resistance in an irradiation process;
an encapsulation layer comprising an encapsulating material selected for temperature and radiation resistance in the irradiation process;
an isotope layer comprising a holmium 165 or yttrium 89 isotope metal foil, positioned over an area between the substrate layer and the encapsulation layer,
wherein the isotope layer is configured for activation with a neutron flux in the irradiation process to convert the holmium or yttrium isotope to a radioisotope that emits beta particles during decay, and
wherein the isotope layer has a spatially uniform thickness of between 0.1 μm and 250 μm that varies by less than 10% over the area of the isotope layer between the substrate layer and the encapsulation layer;
and
a backing layer adjacent the substrate layer, wherein the backing layer comprises a backing material that is selected to block radiation from the holmium or yttrium isotope foil layer, after said activation in the irradiation process.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fabrication and irradiation of a radioactive isotope skin patch

Life of this patent

Fabrication and irradiation of a radioactive isotope skin patch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26