Medical implant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12268633-B2
Application number	US-202117518281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2021
Priority date	Nov 4, 2020
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

A medical implant is disclosed. The medical implant includes a body having a first end having a first cross-sectional dimension, a second end having a second cross-sectional dimension, and a tapered portion extending between the first end and the second end. The first cross-sectional dimension is larger than the second cross-sectional dimension. In some embodiments, the body comprises multiple layers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ocular medical implant comprising:
a substantially wedge-shaped body having a height and a width;
wherein the body further includes a first end having a first cross section having a first cross-sectional dimension in the width direction, a second end having a second cross section having a second cross-sectional dimension in the width direction, and a tapered portion extending in the width direction at least partially between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of the body is configured to be initially retained in a cannula and the second end of the body is configured to be inserted into an eye;
wherein the first cross-sectional dimension is larger than the second cross-sectional dimension;
wherein a length of the first end of the body to the tapered portion is less than 50% of the total length of the implant;
wherein the height is substantially constant from the first end to the second end;
wherein a retention force of the implant within the cannula is from about 0.030 N to about 0.260 N; and
wherein a ratio of a diagonal dimension of the first cross-section, as a measured retention dimension, to an inside diameter of the cannula is between 1.0064 and 1.09 such that the body is configured to be inserted and removed from the cannula by a user for insertion of the body into an eye of a patient for medical treatment of the eye.

2. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the tapered portion extends from the first end to the second end.

3. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the first end and the second end each have a rounded profile.

4. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the length of the first end of the body to a first end of the tapered portion is in a range of about 5% to about 50% of the total length of the implant.

5. The medical implant of claim 4 , wherein the length of the first end of the tapered portion to the second end of the body is in the range of about 950 μm to about 4800 μm.

6. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the body of the medical implant comprises a single layer.

7. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the body of the medical implant is made of a mixture of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent and biocompatible polymers.

8. The medical implant of claim 7 , wherein the biocompatible polymers include terminal esters or acids.

9. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the body of the medical implant comprises a plurality of layers.

10. The medical implant of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of layers is made of biocompatible polymers, and at least one other of the plurality of layers is made of a mixture of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent and biocompatible polymers.

11. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the medical implant is formed or manufactured using a particle replication in non-wetting templates (PRINT) method to shape the medical implant.

12. The medical implant of claim 1 , wherein the medical implant is inserted using a drug delivery device.

13. A medical implant comprising:
a substantially wedge-shaped body having a height, a width, a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein the body further includes a first end having a first cross-section having a first cross-sectional dimension in the width direction and a second end having a second cross-section having a second cross-sectional dimension in the width direction, wherein the body is configured to be inserted into an eye;
the body further including a tapered portion extending in the width direction at least partially between the first end and the second end;
wherein a length of the first end of the body to the tapered portion is less than 50% of the total length of the implant;
wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are substantially planar and substantially parallel to each other;
wherein the first layer and the third layer comprise a first material, and the second layer comprises a second material;
wherein the first cross-sectional dimension is larger than the second cross-sectional dimension;
wherein a retention force of the implant within the cannula is from about 0.030 N to about 0.260 N; and
wherein a ratio of a diagonal dimension of the first cross-section, as a measured retention dimension, to an inside diameter of the cannula is between 1.0064 and 1.09 such that the body is configured to be inserted and removed from the cannula by a user for insertion of the body into an eye of a patient for medical treatment of the eye.

14. The medical implant of claim 13 , wherein the tapered portion extends only partially between the first end and the second end.

15. The medical implant of claim 13 , wherein the length of the first end of the body to a first end of the tapered portion is in a range of about 5% to about 50% of the total length of the implant.

16. The medical implant of claim 13 , wherein the first material comprises a mixture of PLGAs and the second material comprises a mixture of a therapeutic agent and PLGAs.

17. A drug delivery device configured to insert one or more of the medical implant of claim 13 into the eye of a patient, the drug delivery device comprising a needle configured to retain the medical implant from a time of manufacture until the medical implant is inserted into the eye of the patient.

18. The drug delivery device of claim 17 , wherein the medical implant is retained within the needle via a friction fit.

19. An ocular medical implant comprising:
a substantially wedge-shaped body having a height, a width, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end having a first cross-section having a first cross-sectional dimension in the width direction, a second end having a second cross-section having a second cross-sectional dimension in the width direction, and a tapered portion extending in the width direction at least partially between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end of the body is configured to be initially retained in a cannula and the second end of the body is configured to be inserted into an eye;
wherein the first cross-sectional dimension is larger than the second cross-sectional dimension;
wherein a length of the first end of the body to the tapered portion is less than 50% of the total length of the implant;
wherein the top surface is substantially parallel to the bottom surface;
wherein a retention force of the implant within the cannula is from about 0.030 N to about 0.260 N; and
wherein a ratio of a diagonal dimension of the first cross-section, as a measured retention dimension, to an inside diameter of the cannula is between 1.0064 and 1.09 such that the body is configured to be inserted and removed from the cannula by a user for insertion of the body into an eye of a patient for medical treatment of the eye.

Assignees

• Alcon Inc

Inventors

• Shepard Thomas A
• Pegoraro Tyler
• Williams Stuart
• Das Sanjib Kumar
• Trevino Leo Anthony
• Li Cheng

Classifications

• A61K9/0051

  Ocular inserts or implants · CPC title

• A61K9/0024

  Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue (compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L) · CPC title

• B29C33/3842

  Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining · CPC title

• B29K2867/003

  PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate · CPC title

• B29K2883/00

  Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as mould material · CPC title