Intraocular Injection Apparatus with Layer Displacement Plate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for delivering therapeutic agents to the eye, particularly to the retina and choroid, are challenging due to the eye's geometry and delicacy, leading to ineffective drug concentrations and systemic toxicity, with existing intraocular injection techniques requiring high technical skill and risking leakage and infection.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus that displaces superficial eye layers to create a sealed pathway for needle insertion, preventing leakage and infection, while allowing precise delivery of therapeutic agents to the vitreous body, using a plate with a cut-out for precise positioning and a resilient member to shift eye layers, facilitating easy handling and reducing the risk of complications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional intraocular injection methods are used, then therapeutic agents can be delivered to the eye, but the procedure requires high technical skill and risks leakage and infection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection safetyVSAvoidtechnical skill requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a delivery device with a needle as an intermediary tool between the syringe and the eye. The device includes a needle shield that guides the needle through the conjunctiva and sclera to the vitreous humor, reducing the need for high manual dexterity while maintaining injection accuracy and reducing leakage and infection risks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The device performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning the needle shield and guiding structure before needle insertion. The shield is already in place to define the injection path, and the device is pre-loaded with the therapeutic agent, allowing the operator to simply follow the guided path without requiring advanced technical skill

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If drugs are administered systemically, then the drug can reach the eye, but adequate drug concentration cannot be achieved in the retina and choroid

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrug concentrationVSAvoidadministration route complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the drug delivery process from systemic administration and performs it directly at the target site (intraocular injection). This bypasses the systemic circulation and ensures high drug concentration is delivered directly to the vitreous humor, retina, and choroid without dilution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If topical eye drops are used, then the administration is simple, but the drug cannot reach the vitreous, retina, or subretinal structures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadministration simplicityVSAvoiddrug delivery depth
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a needle and needle shield as intermediaries to deliver the drug from the external environment directly to the intraocular space. This overcomes the limitation of topical administration where drugs cannot penetrate the cornea and reach posterior segment structures, while maintaining relative simplicity of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Duration of action of moving object

If repeated drug administrations are performed, then adequate drug levels can be maintained, but systemic toxicity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrug level maintenanceVSAvoidsystemic toxicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the drug delivery from systemic circulation and delivers it directly to the ocular tissues. This single intraocular injection achieves therapeutic levels locally without requiring repeated administrations, thereby avoiding cumulative systemic toxicity while maintaining adequate drug concentrations in the retina and choroid

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 apparatus enables effective, precise, and safe delivery of therapeutic agents to the posterior segment of the eye, reducing systemic toxicity and improving drug concentration, while being easier to handle and less prone to leakage or infection compared to existing methods.

Implementation Method 1

a resilient member to shift eye layers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2124857B1Apparatus for intra-ocular injection
Publication Date: 2017.03.29 FOVEA PHARMA
  • EP2124857B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2124857B1 patent drawingFigure 4~7
  • EP2124857B1 patent drawingFigure 8~10

AI summary

The invention relates to an apparatus (100) for intraocular injection comprising a plate (110) adapted for being brought into contact with an eye and guiding means (120) for guiding a needle (133) into the interior of an eye, characterized in that it comprises means (140) for displacing a superficial layer (1) of the eye over an underlying layer (2) of the eye as the plate (110) is brought into contact with the eye before the needle (133) is guided into the interior of the eye.