Targeting microbubbles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10149906-B2
Application number	US-201615199710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2011
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

This invention related to manufactured microbubbles, as well as methods of using manufactured microbubbles, for example, in medicinal applications. The invention pertains to the physical structure and materials of the microbubbles, as well as to methods for manufacturing microbubbles, methods for targeting microbubbles for specific medicinal applications, and methods for delivering microbubbles in medical treatment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of fragmenting a stone target within a patient comprising:
administering microbubbles to the patient, the microbubbles comprising (i) gas, and (ii) a targeting moiety, wherein the targeting moiety comprises a phosphonate such as a bisphosphonate and has a specific affinity to the stone target selected from the group consisting of a urinary stone, a biliary stone, and a kidney stone;
concentrating the microbubbles on or near the stone target; and
fragmenting the stone target by applying an energy source to the microbubbles within the patient wherein the energy source is in the form of ultrasound or electromagnetic energy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the administering is via injection, inhalation, or implantation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stone target is a kidney stone.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the targeting moiety is chemically attached to an anchoring moiety.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the anchoring moiety comprises a bio-lipid, synthetic polymer, protein, or surfactant, or combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the chemical attachment is via a linking polymeric moiety.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microbubbles further comprise a bio-lipid, synthetic polymer, protein, or surfactant.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microbubbles within the patient are attached to the stone target.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microbubbles within the patient are in proximity to the stone target, but are not attached to the stone target.

10. A method of treating a patient, the method comprising: (a) delivering a solution comprising microbubbles to a site within the patient, the microbubbles comprising a targeting moiety with a specific affinity to a stone target selected from the group consisting of a urinary stone, a biliary stone, and a kidney stone; (b) concentrating the microbubbles on or near the stone target; and (c) fragmenting the stone target by applying an energy source to the microbubbles within the patient, wherein the energy source is in the form of ultrasound or electromagnetic energy.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solution is delivered directly to the site via implantation or via a catheter.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solution is delivered to the patient via injection or inhalation, and wherein the microbubbles comprise a targeting moiety having an affinity for the stone target within the patient.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the stone target is a kidney stone.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microbubbles further comprise a bio-lipid, synthetic polymer, protein, or surfactant.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microbubbles within the patient are attached to the stone target.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the microbubbles within the patient are in proximity to the stone target, but are not attached to the stone target.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the targeting moiety is chemically attached to an anchoring moiety.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the anchoring moiety comprises a bio-lipid, synthetic polymer, protein, or surfactant, or combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the chemical attachment is via a linking polymeric moiety.

20. A method of fragmenting a stone target within a patient comprising:
administering microbubbles to the patient via a catheter, the microbubbles comprising (i) gas, and (ii) a targeting moiety, wherein the targeting moiety comprises a bisphosphonate and has a specific affinity to the stone target, wherein the stone target is a kidney stone, wherein the targeting moiety is chemically attached to an anchoring moiety via a linking polymeric moiety;
concentrating the microbubbles near the stone target; and
fragmenting the stone target by applying an energy source to the microbubbles within the patient wherein the energy source is in the form of ultrasound and wherein the microbubbles within the patient are in proximity to the stone target but not attached to the stone target.

Assignees

• California Inst Of Techn
• Univ California

Inventors

• Grubbs Robert H
• Stoller Marshall L
• Chung Hoyong
• Fitzgerald Alissa M
• Kenny Thomas W
• Thomas Renee M

Classifications

• A61P35/00

  Antineoplastic agents · CPC title

• A61P43/00

  Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00 · CPC title

• A61K9/127

  Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant · CPC title

• A61K47/6911

  the form being a liposome · CPC title

• A61K9/1075

  Microemulsions or submicron emulsions; Preconcentrates or solids thereof; Micelles, e.g. made of phospholipids or block copolymers (A61K9/0026 takes precedence) · CPC title