US 6,685,697 B1Granted

Controlled release system for delivering therapeutic agents into the inner ear

AssigneeDurect Corporation

InventorsIrving K. Arenberg, Michael H. Arenberg, Christine Lemke, John A. Berglund

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Abstract

The present invention provides methods and devices for controlled delivery of a therapeutic agent to an internal cavity of the ear, particularly to the inner ear. In general, the invention uses a drug delivery unit for inner ear treatment which employs a portion of carrier media material containing one or more therapeutic agents therein. The carrier media material is designed to release the therapeutic agents in a controlled manner over time. The drug delivery unit is shaped and sized for placement of at least a portion thereof in the round window niche of a patient. The released therapeutic agents come in contact with the round window membrane and pass therethrough into the inner ear for treatment purposes. This system provides many benefits ranging from the ability to deliver drugs in a site specific, highly controlled manner to the transfer of such materials with minimal patient discomfort and monitoring requirements.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A drug deliver apparatus for delivering therapeutic agents into an internal cavity of an inner ear of a living subject comprising:

a drug deliver unit comprising at least one carrier media material and at least one therapeutic agent combined therewith, wherein the drug deliver unit is shaped and sized for at least partial insertion into a round window niche of a subject, and wherein the carrier media material releases the therapeutic agent from the drug delivery unit over time when the drug delivery unit is placed in a round window niche of a subject;
and further, wherein the apparatus further comprises an elongate member comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the drug delivery unit is positioned at the first end of the elongate member,
and further wherein the elongate member defines at least one passageway therethrough from the first end to the second end,
and wherein the elongate member further comprises a wick disposed within the passageway, wherein the wick extends from the elongate member second end to elongate member first end, and wherein the wick is in fluid communication with the drug delivery unit.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.