Microfluidic Device Isolating Extracellular Vesicles for Glaucoma Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for glaucoma are inadequate in efficacy and often come with significant side effects, and there is a need for effective methods to detect, identify, and treat the disease, particularly in reducing intraocular pressure and improving ocular outflows.

Innovation Solution

The development of compositions and methods involving purified extracellular vesicle complexes from glaucoma ocular humor, which can be cross-linked or stabilized, and used in devices to measure and characterize intraocular pressure and ocular outflows, as well as in therapeutic compositions to treat glaucoma by affecting these parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If pharmaceutical treatments are used to lower intraocular pressure, then intraocular pressure is reduced, but side effects and lack of efficacy occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintraocular pressureVSAvoidtreatment efficacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses extracellular vesicles as intermediary carriers to deliver therapeutic agents (such as siRNA, mRNA, or drugs) to the trabecular meshwork and aqueous humor. This mediator approach enables targeted delivery that avoids systemic side effects while improving local efficacy in reducing intraocular pressure through enhanced bioavailability and sustained release.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stress or pressure

If pharmaceutical treatments are used to lower intraocular pressure, then intraocular pressure is reduced, but significant side effects occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintraocular pressureVSAvoidside effects

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs extracellular vesicles with surface modifications (such as targeting ligands, antibodies, or peptides) that enable site-specific accumulation in the ocular tissues, particularly the trabecular meshwork and aqueous humor. This local targeting ensures that therapeutic effects are concentrated where needed while minimizing exposure and side effects in other body systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If diagnostic methods are used to detect glaucoma, then disease detection is achieved, but diagnosis is often delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisease detectionVSAvoiddiagnosis delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes extracellular vesicles as early biomarkers that can be detected in aqueous humor before significant optic nerve damage occurs. By monitoring vesicle characteristics (such as surface markers, cargo content, or aggregation patterns) in routine eye examinations, the system enables preliminary detection of glaucoma risk, allowing intervention before irreversible vision loss happens.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240000849A1Microfluidic device for isolating components of bodily fluids

Publication Date: 2024.01.04 AUFBAU MEDICAL INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

This invention relates to methods and compositions for detecting, identifying and treating glaucoma diseases. More particularly, this invention discloses compositions and methods for affecting intraocular pressure and increasing ocular outflows in glaucoma. Compositions and methods provided include purified and synthesized extracellular vesicle complexes from glaucoma ocular humor for use in methods and devices for detecting, characterizing and treating glaucoma diseases along with active agents. The presence of extracellular vesicle complexes in glaucoma can also be used as a biomarker.