Breast Milk Filtration Device for Antidepressant Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional antidepressants used to treat postpartum depression are ineffective in up to 20% of patients, take 8 weeks to be effective, and have significant side effects, and their transfer into breast milk poses risks to infants, with limited data on long-term effects.

Innovation Solution

A method using filtering devices with solid substrates or Liposomal Trapping Technology (LTT) to reduce the concentration of antidepressants like sertraline in breast milk, achieving a reduction of at least 30% to 99% of the initial concentration, thereby providing a safer milk product for infants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional antidepressants are used to treat postpartum depression, then the mother's depressive symptoms are alleviated in about 80% of patients, but the antidepressants transfer into breast milk and pose risks to the nursing infant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of antidepressant treatmentVSAvoidtransfer of antidepressant to infant through breast milk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes antidepressant substances from breast milk using filtration devices containing solid substrates with adsorbent materials. The filtration system physically separates the harmful antidepressant molecules from the beneficial breast milk components, allowing the mother to continue nursing while protecting the infant from drug exposure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a filtration device as an intermediary between the mother's breast milk and the infant. This intermediary device contains adsorbent materials that selectively bind to antidepressant molecules, intercepting them before they reach the infant while allowing other milk components to pass through

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If conventional antidepressants are used to treat postpartum depression, then the treatment can be initiated immediately, but it takes up to 8 weeks for the antidepressants to become effective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime delay in antidepressant effectivenessVSAvoidduration of untreated depression

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by removing antidepressants from breast milk at the source, allowing mothers to start treatment immediately without waiting for drug effectiveness. This preliminary protection of the infant enables immediate initiation of antidepressant therapy while the filtration device continuously protects the milk supply during the 8-week onset period

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If conventional antidepressants are used to treat postpartum depression, then the treatment addresses the mother's symptoms, but the mother experiences significant side effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectiveness for postpartum depressionVSAvoidside effects of antidepressant medication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration device extracts antidepressant molecules from breast milk, enabling mothers to tolerate higher medication doses for better treatment effectiveness while the filtration system removes the medication from the milk supply, thereby reducing side effects in both mother and infant

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If antidepressants are removed from breast milk using filtration devices, then the safety of breast milk for infants is improved, but the process requires additional time and effort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of breast milk for infantVSAvoidconvenience of breastfeeding process

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration device is designed for self-service operation by the mother or caregiver. The device automatically performs the filtration process when breast milk passes through it, requiring minimal user intervention while continuously providing safe milk to the infant

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 method effectively reduces the concentration of antidepressants in breast milk by 30% to 99%, providing a safer milk product for infants and addressing the limitations of conventional antidepressant treatment for postpartum depression.

Implementation Method 1

contacting mother's milk having an initial concentration of an antidepressant therein with a solid substrate adapted to remove the antidepressant from the milk

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

A method using filtering devices with solid substrates or Liposomal Trapping Technology (LTT) to reduce the concentration of antidepressants like sertraline in breast milk

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLiposomal Trapping: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS10064417B2Milk filtration devices and methods for filtering

Publication Date: 2018.09.04 JANSSEN PHARMA NV

AI summary

A method of cleaning mother's milk, involving ex vivo contacting mother's milk having an initial concentration of an antidepressant therein with a solid substrate (preferably a porous substrate) adapted to remove the antidepressant from the milk to produce a cleansed milk product having a reduced concentration of the antidepressant.