Biodegradable Contraceptive Implants Using Polyester Copolymers
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for effective, long-term birth control options that require minimal medical guidance, particularly in areas with limited access to medical infrastructure, and existing contraceptive methods often necessitate regular medical interventions for insertion and removal.
Innovation Solution
Development of biodegradable polymeric implants encapsulating a contraceptive agent like levonorgestrel, which provide sustained release and can be removed without the need for trained medical professionals, using a polyester copolymer composition that degrades slowly in water, maintaining mechanical strength for removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If non-degradable elastomer-based implants are used, then long-term contraceptive effect is achieved, but removal requires trained medical professionals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs biodegradable polyester copolymer implants that naturally degrade in the body over time, eliminating the need for removal procedures. The implant material is designed to break down into harmless byproducts that the body can metabolize, transforming the permanent implant into a temporary, self-eliminating device that maintains contraceptive effect for the desired duration without requiring medical intervention for removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes controlled degradation of the polyester copolymer matrix, where the polymer's molecular structure and physical properties change over time as it hydrolyzes in the physiological environment. This parameter change allows the implant to maintain structural integrity and contraceptive function initially, then gradually soften and dissolve, enabling easy removal or natural elimination without surgical intervention
2Ease of operation
If biodegradable polymeric implants are used, then removal without trained medical professionals is enabled, but mechanical strength for removal must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the polyester copolymer implant with dynamic mechanical properties that evolve over time. The implant maintains sufficient strength and structural integrity during the initial period for proper placement and function, then progressively softens and loses mechanical strength as degradation proceeds, ultimately becoming pliable enough for easy removal or natural dissolution without requiring forceful extraction procedures
3Duration of action of stationary object
If sustained release of contraceptive agent is achieved, then long-term efficacy is provided, but degradation rate must be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs polyester copolymer compositions combining different monomer units (such as lactide, glycolide, and caprolactone) in specific ratios to achieve tailored degradation rates. By adjusting the copolymer composition and molecular weight, the material provides controlled hydrolysis that matches the desired contraceptive release profile, maintaining stable drug delivery over the intended duration while ensuring complete degradation afterward
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the degradation rate by modifying polymer parameters including molecular weight, crystallinity, and crosslinking density. These parameter changes allow tuning of the hydrolysis rate to match the contraceptive release requirements, ensuring sustained delivery of the active agent over the desired period while maintaining structural stability during the functional phase
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The biodegradable implants offer a reliable, long-term contraceptive solution that can be easily inserted and removed, providing sustained release of levonorgestrel with minimal medical intervention, suitable for areas with limited access to medical care.
Implementation Method 1
a family of degradable polyester copolymers that degrade slowly in the presence of water
Data Source
AI summary
Biodegradable contraceptive implants and methods of making and using thereof, are preferably formed of poly(ω-pentadecalactone-co-p-dioxanone) [poly(PDL-co-DO)], a family of polyester copolymers that degrade slowly in the presence of water. The material is suitable as the basis of a biodegradable contraceptive implant that provides sustained release of a progestin at a rate similar to a commercially available nondegradable implant. In a preferred embodiment, the progestin is levonorgestrel (LNG), a hormone that prevents pregnancy by preventing the release of an egg from the ovary or by preventing fertilization of the egg by sperm. The implant may be inserted subcutaneously, allowing degradation over a period of up to about 18 or 24 months, eliminating the need for removal by a trained practitioner.