Biodegradable Embolic Particles for Sustained Drug Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current embolic therapies for treating tumors, such as TACE and DEB, face challenges with sustained drug release and the need for re-treatment due to rapid drug release from biostable particles, and cumbersome procedures involving multiple steps.
Innovation Solution
Development of embolic particles comprising therapeutic-agent-containing sub-particles dispersed in a biodegradable polymer matrix that degrades to release the agents, allowing for extended therapeutic agent release and localized delivery while avoiding significant vessel thrombosis, enabling re-treatment by restoring blood flow after initial occlusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If biostable particles are used for embolization, then the occlusion duration is extended, but the therapeutic agent releases rapidly (within hours) and re-treatment becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The embolic particle is segmented into two functional components: a biostable core structure that provides prolonged occlusion, and a biodegradable polymer matrix that encapsulates the therapeutic agent. This segmentation allows the biostable core to maintain occlusion while the biodegradable matrix controls sustained drug release over days to weeks, resolving the contradiction between long occlusion duration and sustained therapeutic agent release.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials combining biostable embolic core material with a biodegradable polymer matrix. The biostable core ensures prolonged vascular occlusion, while the biodegradable polymer matrix provides controlled therapeutic agent release. This composite structure enables both extended occlusion duration and sustained drug release, while the biodegradable matrix degrades to allow future re-treatment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If TACE procedure is performed with two separate steps, then chemotherapy and embolization are provided, but the procedure becomes cumbersome and drug release is not sustained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges chemotherapy and embolization into a single integrated particle system. The therapeutic agent is incorporated within the biodegradable polymer matrix of the embolic particle, allowing both chemotherapy delivery and mechanical embolization to occur simultaneously through a single injection procedure. This eliminates the need for separate TACE steps while providing sustained drug release from the degrading matrix.
Solution Approach 2:
The embolic particle is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a chemical delivery vehicle (chemotherapy) and a mechanical occlusion device. The biodegradable polymer matrix provides sustained therapeutic agent release while the particle structure itself causes embolization. This universal design combines multiple therapeutic modes into one procedure, reducing complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Reliability
If embolic particles are used to occlude blood vessels, then tumor necrosis is achieved, but significant vessel thrombosis occurs preventing re-treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The biodegradable polymer matrix acts as a temporary, short-living carrier that degrades over days to weeks after delivering the therapeutic agent. Once the matrix degrades, the occlusion is relieved and blood flow is restored, allowing the vessel to be reused for future treatments. The biostable core provides sufficient time for tumor necrosis while the temporary nature of the matrix prevents permanent thrombosis.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temporal parameters of occlusion by using a biodegradable matrix with controlled degradation rates. The matrix provides temporary occlusion sufficient for therapeutic effect (tumor necrosis) but then degrades to restore blood flow. This parameter change from permanent to temporary occlusion eliminates the harmful effect of persistent thrombosis while maintaining treatment effectiveness.
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 embolic particles provide sustained therapeutic agent release for up to a month after degradation, reducing the likelihood of thrombosis and allowing for subsequent treatments at the same site by ensuring temporary occlusion of blood vessels for tumor necrosis.
Implementation Method 1
the biodegradable polymer matrix degrades, leading to the release of the sub-particles
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with one aspect, embolic particles are provided which comprise sub-particles that comprise a therapeutic agent of low solubility dispersed in a matrix that comprises a biodegradable polymer. Other aspects pertain to injectable compositions that comprise such particles and to methods of treatment that employ such injectable compositions. Still other aspects pertain to methods of making such particles.