Vaginal drug delivery system and method
AssigneeFamily Health International
InventorsDavid C. Sokal, Carol L. Joanis, George A. M. Butterworth, James D. Reed, Robert A. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vaginal drug delivery system includes a device formed of porous material that holds a flowable therapeutic formulation. The device, preferably in a soft, prewetted state, is inserted into the vagina to reside typically at or near the cervix where it continuously releases the flowable therapeutic formulation through its outer surface which is in contact with the vaginal surfaces. In operation, the flowable therapeutic formulation migrates via capillary forces from a reservoir that is centrally located in the device and through a covering that envelopes the reservoir.
Claims13
A device for insertion into the vagina to deliver a flowable therapeutic formulation to the vaginal surfaces, said device comprising:
- a reservoir having at least one substantially planar surface;
- a flowable therapeutic formulation contained throughout the device;
- wherein said entire device is substantially phobic relative to the flowable therapeutic formulation;
- a gradation of capillary forces between the reservoir and external surfaces of the device to cause a desorption of the flowable therapeutic formulation from the device when placed in the vagina, the gradation of capillary forces formed by one of:
- (1) the reservoir and the external surfaces of the device having the same effective capillary radii, a liquid contact angle of less than 60 degrees for the external surfaces of the device, and greater than 60 degrees for the reservoir;
- (2) the reservoir having a larger pore size than the external surfaces of the device, and the liquid contact angle of the reservoir and the external surfaces of the device are less than 90 degrees;
- (3) the external surfaces of the device having a larger pore size than the reservoir, and a liquid contact angle of the reservoir and the external surfaces of the device are greater than 90 degrees;
- and
- (4) the reservoir and the external surfaces of the device having the same effective capillary radii, and the liquid contact angle is greater than 110 degrees for the external surfaces and greater than 140 degrees for the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.