Magnetic Steering Miniature Device with pH-Responsive Carrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for navigating and delivering therapeutic payloads within the human body lack precise control and efficient release mechanisms, making it difficult to accurately target treatment sites and manage payload delivery.
Innovation Solution
A miniature device with a magnetic steering portion and a biodegradable carrier portion that dissolves at the treatment site, using a binder material and an adhesive that can be disrupted by specific conditions, allowing for controlled release of therapeutic components, guided by a magnetic inducing apparatus generating varying magnetic fields.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a miniature device is used to deliver therapeutic components, then the ability to reach remote treatment sites is improved, but precise control and accurate targeting become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical control systems with magnetic field-based control. The miniature device includes a magnetic material that responds to externally applied magnetic fields, enabling precise steering and positioning without complex mechanical actuators. This substitution allows accurate targeting while maintaining the ability to reach remote treatment sites through the magnetic guidance system.
2Reliability
If a carrier portion is used to deliver therapeutic component, then protected delivery is improved, but controlled release at treatment site becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pH-responsive adhesive material that changes its bonding properties in response to pH parameter changes. The adhesive strongly binds the therapeutic component to the carrier in the neutral pH of the bloodstream, providing protected delivery. Upon reaching the acidic tumor microenvironment, the adhesive's binding strength decreases, enabling controlled release. This parameter-based control resolves the contradiction between protected delivery and controlled release.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive material serves as an intermediary between the carrier portion and the therapeutic component. It provides reversible binding that protects the therapeutic component during transport while allowing controlled release at the target site through environmental triggers. This intermediary mechanism enables both protected delivery and controlled release without requiring complex mechanical release systems.
3Ease of operation
If magnetic material is used for steering, then navigation capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the navigation and control functions from the miniature device itself and places them in an external magnetic field generation system. The device only requires a simple magnetic material for steering, while the complex magnetic field control is handled externally. This extraction reduces device complexity while maintaining excellent navigation capability through the simplified magnetic response system.
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
Enables precise navigation and controlled release of therapeutic components within the body, ensuring accurate delivery and minimizing side effects by using biodegradable materials and magnetic guidance for precise targeting.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic inducing apparatus configured to be operated to generate a varying magnetic field, thereby remotely controlling motion of the miniature device
Implementation Method 2
The binder material may comprise a biodegradable and/or a bioerodible polymer
Implementation Method 3
The adhesive material may be configured to be disrupted under a predetermined condition, thereby separating the carrier portion from the steering portion
Data Source
AI summary
A miniature device is provided for use in a system configured to deliver a therapeutic component to a treatment site in a patient. The miniature device comprises at least one steering portion comprising a magnetic material, and at least one carrier portion affixed to the steering portion and comprising the therapeutic component. The carrier portion is configured to at least partially dissipate under one or more predetermined conditions at the treatment site, thereby releasing the therapeutic component. Further provided is a system comprising one or more such miniature devices and a magnetic inducing apparatus configured to be operated to generate a varying magnetic field, thereby remotely controlling motion of the miniature device.