Method and apparatus for delivery of therapeutic agents

An apparatus for controlled delivery of a therapeutic agent to a predetermined tissue site within a subject, the apparatus comprising:

• a cartridge assembly comprising:
• a housing having a vessel receiver located therein;
• a vessel configured to contain the therapeutic agent;
• and a needle hub, wherein the vessel receiver is configured to receive the vessel;
• an applicator comprising:
• a cartridge assembly receiver configured to receive the cartridge assembly or a portion thereof;
• and a vessel insertion detector, wherein the vessel insertion detector comprises a sensor that senses the vessel having been loaded in the vessel receiver;
• an injection needle comprising at least one injection orifice through which the therapeutic agent is administered;
• a plurality of penetrating electrodes arranged with a predetermined spatial relationship relative to the at least one injection orifice;
• an electrode support comprising a plurality of apertures corresponding to the predetermined spatial relationship of the plurality of penetrating electrodes, wherein the plurality of penetrating electrodes extends through the plurality of apertures, wherein the electrode support is a dynamic support member configured to undergo positional displacement or compression deformation within an outer cartridge of the apparatus along a length of the plurality of penetrating electrodes throughout an entire electrode deployment to provide continuous lateral support to the plurality of penetrating electrodes, thereby preventing inadvertent perpendicular motion of the plurality of penetrating electrodes relative to a direction of electrode deployment;
• an electrical field generator operatively connected to the plurality of penetrating electrodes;
• and
• a controlled source of energy sufficient to transfer a predetermined amount of the therapeutic agent from the vessel through the at least one injection orifice to the predetermined tissue site within the subject.