Iontophoretic drug delivery device

A fluid electrode, comprising:

• a cavity configured to continuously receive a fluid, said fluid having or being provided with an electric charge,
• wherein, in use, the charged fluid in the cavity generates an electric field that emanates from the cavity.

The fluid electrode of claim 1, wherein the cavity is a channel configured to support a flow of the charged fluid, preferably wherein the channel comprises an elongate channel.

The fluid electrode of claim 2, wherein the elongate channel has an aspect ratio that creates a laminar flow profile of the charged fluid therein.

The fluid electrode of claim 3, wherein the aspect ratio of the elongate channel is at least 10, preferably at least 20, more preferably at least 30, more preferably at least 40, more preferably at least 50, more preferably at least 60, more preferably at least 70.

The fluid electrode of claim 1, comprising a fluid inlet for receipt of said fluid into said fluid electrode, and a fluid outlet for removal of said fluid from said fluid electrode.

The fluid electrode of claim 1, further comprising a first membrane in contact with the cavity, preferably wherein said first membrane is an ion exchange membrane.

The fluid electrode of claim 6, further comprising a second membrane, wherein the first membrane and the second membrane define therebetween a space adjacent to the cavity, wherein said space adjacent to the cavity is configured to receive a second charged fluid, said second charged fluid comprising a cell culture medium and/or a conductive electrolyte.

The fluid electrode of claim 7, configured to drive the second charged fluid from the space to a delivery site through the second membrane.

A drug delivery device configured to deliver a drug to a drug delivery site in a bodily tissue, said drug delivery device comprising the fluid electrode of claim 1, wherein the drug delivery device is configured to:

• receive a charged particle comprising a drug in a space adjacent to the cavity;
• and
• drive the charged particle from the space to the drug delivery site, the charged particle being driven by the action of an electric field generated by the charged fluid in the cavity.

The drug delivery device of claim 9, wherein the space adjacent to the cavity is a drug channel configured to continuously receive the charged particle.

The drug delivery device of claim 9, further comprising an electrode in fluid contact with the cavity, the electrode configured to provide a charge to a fluid so as to generate the charged fluid,

• optionally wherein the electrode is positioned outside of the bodily tissue during delivery of the charged particle to the drug delivery site.

The drug delivery device of claim 9, further comprising a first membrane between the cavity and the space adjacent to the cavity, optionally wherein

• the first membrane is configured to selectively allow a species having a charge of opposite polarity to that of the charged particle to pass into the cavity from the space adjacent to the cavity;
• and/or
• the first membrane is configured to selectively allow a species having a charge of the same polarity as that of the charged particle to pass into the cavity from the space adjacent to the cavity.

The drug delivery device of claim 9, further comprising a second membrane between the space adjacent to the cavity and the drug delivery site, wherein the second membrane is configured to selectively allow the charged particle comprising the drug to pass to the drug delivery site from the space adjacent to the cavity.

A drug delivery device comprising a fluid for delivering a drug to a drug delivery site, the fluid configured to:

• gain a charge from an electrode;
• and
• when charged, generate an electric field to drive a charged particle in a space adjacent to the fluid in a direction away from the fluid, the charged particle comprising the drug.

The drug delivery device of claim 14, wherein the fluid is configured to gain the charge from the electrode without causing significant generation of a gas at the electrode.

The drug delivery device of claim 14, wherein

• the drug delivery device comprises the electrode that is configured to provide the fluid with the charge;
• and/or
• the drug delivery device is configured to continuously receive a flow of the fluid, wherein a flow path of the fluid contacts the electrode such that the fluid gains the charge when it passes the electrode.

A drug delivery device comprising an electrode and a channel, the channel being in contact with the electrode and configured to receive a fluid, wherein:

• the electrode is formed of a double-sided piece of electrode material;
• and
• the channel is shaped so as to be in contact with the two sides of the piece of electrode material.

The drug delivery device of claim 17, wherein the channel is shaped so as to be in contact with two opposite sides of the double-sided piece of electrode material.

The drug delivery device of claim 17, wherein the channel is shaped such that a bulk flow direction of the fluid changes as the fluid flows past different sides of the double-sided piece of electrode material.

The drug delivery device of claim 17, wherein the electrode is configured to provide the fluid with a charge as the fluid flows through the channel.