Self-righting systems and related components and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11369574-B2
Application number	US-201816613766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	May 17, 2017
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

Self-righting articles, such as self-righting capsules for administration to a subject, are generally provided. In some embodiments, the self-righting article may be configured such that the article may orient itself relative to a surface (e.g., a surface of a tissue of a subject). The self-righting articles described herein may comprise one or more tissue engaging surfaces configured to engage (e.g., interface with, inject into, anchor) with a surface (e.g., a surface of a tissue of a subject). In some embodiments, the self-righting article may have a particular shape and/or distribution of density (or mass) which, for example, enables the self-righting behavior of the article. In some embodiments, the self-righting article may comprise a tissue interfacing component and/or a pharmaceutical agent (e.g., for delivery of the active pharmaceutical agent to a location internal of the subject). In some cases, upon contact of the tissue with the tissue engaging surface of the article, the self-righting article may be configured to release one or more tissue interfacing components. In some cases, the tissue interfacing component is associated with a self-actuating component. For example, the self-righting article may comprise a self-actuating component configured, upon exposure to a fluid, to release the tissue interfacing component from the self-righting article. In some cases, the tissue interfacing component may comprise and/or be associated with the pharmaceutical agent (e.g., for delivery to a location internal to a subject).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-righting article, comprising:
a first portion having a mass;
a second portion having a mass different from the mass of the first portion;
a self-actuating component comprising a spring and a support material configured to maintain the spring in an at least partially compressed state, wherein the support material is configured to at least partially degrade in a biological fluid;
a tissue interfacing component associated with an active pharmaceutical agent and operably linked to the self-actuating component; and
a tissue engaging surface configured to contact a surface of a tissue internal to a subject;
wherein the self-righting article is configured as a monostatic body due to at least one of the center of mass of the self-righting article and the shape of the self-righting article;
wherein when the self-righting article is at least partially supported by the tissue of the subject, the self-righting article orients in a direction to allow the tissue interfacing component to release at least a portion of the active pharmaceutical agent into the tissue.

2. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a first material and the second portion comprises a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are different.

3. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the self-righting article has an average density greater than 1 g/cm3.

4. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the first material and/or second material is selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a ceramic, a metal, a metal alloy, and combinations thereof.

5. The self-righting article as in claim 4 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, iron-carbon alloys, Field's metal, wolfram, molybdenum, gold, zinc, iron, and titanium.

6. The self-righting article as in claim 4 , wherein the ceramic is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, tricalcium phosphate, zirconium oxide, silicates, and silicon dioxide.

7. The self-righting article as in claim 4 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polycaprolactone, polylactic acid, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyether ether ketone, and polyvinyl alcohol.

8. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a spring constant in the range of 100 N/m to 1500 N/m.

9. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the support material is configured as a plug,
wherein the plug is operably linked to the tissue interfacing component, and
wherein the plug is exposed to the exterior of the self-righting article via a hole in the tissue engaging surface.

10. The self-righting article as in claim 9 , wherein the spring is positioned in a space surrounded by the first portion,
wherein the tissue interfacing component is configured as a projectile that extends substantially along the major axis of the self-righting article;
wherein the tissue interfacing component is operably linked to the spring at one end and operably linked to the plug at the other end, and
wherein the plug is located in a space surrounded by the second portion and configured such that the second portion prevents the spring in the at least partially compressed state from pushing the plug out of the hole in the tissue engaging surface via the tissue interfacing component.

11. The self-righting article as in claim 1 ,
wherein the support material is configured in the shape of a flat structure with a major plane and operably linked to the spring, and
wherein the major plane of the flat structure is perpendicular to the major axis of the spring.

12. The self-righting article as in claim 11 ,
wherein the support material comprises a first surface along the major plane and having a first total surf ace area,
wherein the support material comprises a second surface parallel to the first surface along the major plane and having a second total surface area different from the first total surface area,
wherein the first surface comprises one or more cavities, and
wherein the first total surface area is greater than the second total surface area.

13. The self-righting article as in claim 12 ,
wherein the support material is configured within the self-righting article such that the biological fluid entering the self-righting article contacts the first surface to initiate at least partial degradation of the support material; and
wherein the one or more cavities are configured for controlled failure of the support material after the at least partial degradation of the support material.

14. The self-righting article as in claim 13 ,
wherein the spring is positioned in a space surrounded by the first portion;
wherein the support material is positioned between the first portion and the second portion;
wherein the support material comprises a hole through which the tissue interfacing component extends substantially along the major axis of the self-righting article;
wherein the tissue interfacing component is configured in the shape of a projectile such that one end of the projectile is operably linked to the spring and the other end of the projectile is located proximate to a hole in the tissue engaging surface such that a distance exists between the projectile and the hole; and
wherein the tissue engaging surface is on the second portion.

15. The self-righting article as in claim 12 , wherein the one or more cavities surround the hole in the support material.

16. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the support material is configured in the shape of a disk.

17. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the support material is selected from the group consisting of a sugar, a derivative of a sugar, starch, calcium carbonate, zinc, sodium chloride, polymers, and combinations thereof.

18. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the tissue interfacing component comprises the active pharmaceutical agent.

19. The self-righting article as in claim 18 , wherein the active pharmaceutical agent is present in the tissue interacting component in an amount greater than or equal to 80% by weight of the total weight of the tissue interfacing component.

20. The self-righting article as in claim 19 , wherein 100% by weight of the tissue interacting component is the active pharmaceutical agent.

21. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the self-righting article comprises one or more vents configured such that the self-actuating component is in fluidic communication with an environment external to the self-righting article.

22. The self-righting article as in claim 21 , wherein the one or more vents are located in the first portion; and wherein the spring and the support material are positioned in a space surrounded by the first portion.

23. The self-righting article as in claim 21 , wherein the one or more vents are covered by a coating.

24. The self-righting article as in claim 1 wherein the biological fluid is gastric fluid.

25. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , wherein the spring and the support material are positioned in a space surrounded by the first portion.

26. The self-righting article as in claim 1 , further comprising a hole in the tissue engaging surface; and wherein upon actuation of the self-actuating compone

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology
• Brigham & Womens Hospital Inc
• Novo Nordisk As

Inventors

• Traverso Carlo Giovanni
• Abramson Alex G
• Caffarel Salvador Ester
• Roxhed Niclas
• Khang Minsoo
• Bensel Taylor
• Langer Robert S
• Water Jorrit Jeroen
• Frederiksen Morten Revsgaard
• Kristiansen Bo Uldall
• Jespersen Mikkel Oliver
• Poulsen Mette
• Herskind Peter
• Jensen Brian

Classifications

• A61M2205/106

  reciprocating · CPC title

• A61K47/42

  Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof; Derivatives thereof, e.g. albumin, gelatin or zein (oligopeptides having up to five amino acids {A61K47/183}; polyamino acids A61K47/34) · CPC title

• A61K47/10

  Alcohols; Phenols; Salts thereof, e.g. glycerol; Polyethylene glycols [PEG]; Poloxamers; PEG/POE alkyl ethers · CPC title

• A61M2037/0007

  having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents · CPC title

• A61M37/00

  Other apparatus for introducing media into the body (for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30); Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin (salt baths A61H33/04) · CPC title