Rotating GI Attachment for Oral Drug Delivery Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery devices face challenges in delivering low permeable and low water soluble active drug substances through the oral route due to stability issues during manufacturing, storage, and limited absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, primarily due to the gastrointestinal wall barrier.
Innovation Solution
An oral drug delivery device with a housing and a rotatable attachment part, such as a spike, designed to efficiently attach to gastrointestinal tissue, minimizing moving components and providing a large difference in inertia for effective insertion, allowing for enhanced drug delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple attachment parts are used to improve delivery capability, then the drug delivery effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity and risk of part failure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment part is segmented into a proximal end for connection and a distal end for tissue engagement, with the drug substance positioned at the distal end. This segmentation allows the single attachment part to perform multiple functions (attachment and drug delivery) effectively, resolving the contradiction by maintaining simplicity while achieving reliable drug delivery to the gastrointestinal tissue.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple moving components are included to enable attachment part rotation, then the delivery flexibility is improved, but the risk of part breakage and failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment part is designed to rotate about an axis that is not collinear with the longitudinal axis of the housing, enabling dynamic adjustment of the distal end orientation. This rotational capability provides insertion flexibility while the single-component design minimizes moving parts, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the rotation axis is collinear with the longitudinal axis, then the device symmetry is improved, but the insertion flexibility and reach are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation axis is deliberately positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing, creating an asymmetric configuration. This asymmetry allows the distal end to reach positions and angles that would be inaccessible with a collinear rotation axis, improving insertion flexibility while maintaining a simple single-component structure.
4Length of moving object
If the attachment part is designed for deep tissue insertion, then the drug delivery reach is improved, but the device size and space footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment part utilizes rotational movement about a non-collinear axis to achieve extended reach and access to different tissue locations. This dimensional approach allows the distal end to cover a larger spatial volume through rotation rather than simply extending the length of the attachment part, resolving the contradiction between reach and device volume.
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 device ensures efficient delivery and absorption of active drug substances by minimizing part failure, improving attachment to gastrointestinal tissue, and enabling higher flexibility and reach, thereby enhancing drug delivery efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
a large difference in inertia between the housing/body and the attachment part(s) thereby causing only or main movement of the attachment part during insertion
Data Source
AI summary
An oral drug delivery device (100) comprising a housing (102) having a longitudinal axis (104) and extending from a first end to a second end, a first attachment part (110) having a first distal end (112) and a first proximal end (114), the first attachment part connected within the housing and configured to deliver an active drug substance (154), and an actuator (116) engaged with the first attachment part and configured to rotate the first attachment part about a first rotation axis (118), wherein the first rotation axis optionally forms an angle larger than 45 degrees with the longitudinal axis.