Ice Slurry Reversible Barrier Breakdown for Drug Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods face challenges in delivering drugs and biologics across biological barriers such as the blood-nerve barrier and blood-brain barrier, limiting their effectiveness in treating neuropathic pain and other neurological conditions due to restricted permeability.
Innovation Solution
The use of an ice slurry to temporarily and reversibly break down perineurial, endoneurial, and Schwann cell barriers in peripheral nerves, and endothelial cell, astrocyte end-feet, and pericyte barriers in the central nervous system, facilitating the delivery of small molecules, biologics, and nucleic acid-based drugs by increasing permeability without causing tissue damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If higher concentrations of local anesthetics are used to penetrate the epineurium, perineurium, and endoneurium, then the ability to reach the target site is improved, but systemic toxicities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using cold slurry to pre-treat and temporarily increase the permeability of the blood-nerve barrier before administering the drug. This preliminary permeability enhancement allows subsequent administration of lower drug concentrations to effectively reach the target site, thereby avoiding systemic toxicities associated with higher concentrations.
2Reliability
If the blood-nerve barrier and blood-brain barrier maintain their intact structure, then they provide protection against harmful agents, but they limit the penetration of therapeutic drugs to the target site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by temporarily and reversibly altering the permeability properties of the blood-nerve and blood-brain barriers using cold slurry. The barriers dynamically transition from a low-permeability protective state to a high-permeability drug-delivery state, then return to the protective state after drug administration, thus maintaining both protection and drug delivery capabilities at different times.
3Adaptability or versatility
If biologics and nucleic acid-based drugs are administered to treat peripheral nerves, then therapeutic potential is improved, but their inability to cross the peripheral nerve barriers prevents effective delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using cold slurry to pre-treat and temporarily increase the permeability of the blood-nerve barrier before administering biologics or nucleic acid-based drugs. This preliminary permeability enhancement enables these large molecules, which normally cannot cross the barrier, to effectively reach the target site and realize their therapeutic potential.
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
This method enhances the delivery and efficacy of therapeutic agents to the target site, reducing systemic toxicity and side effects, and allowing for longer-lasting effects by lowering the required doses and improving drug penetration across biological barriers.
Implementation Method 1
The use of an ice slurry to temporarily and reversibly break down perineurial, endoneurial, and Schwann cell barriers in peripheral nerves
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are methods that allow for efficient delivery of one or more agents to one or more peripheral nerves or the central nervous system by reversibly breaking down one or more of the perineurial (e.g., nerve-tissue), endoneurial (e.g., blood-nerve or “BNB”), Schwann cell, and blood-brain barriers.