Intra-Ruminal Release Matrix With Clay Minerals for Linear Dosing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for delivering therapeutic agents to ruminants suffer from limited control over the delivery rate, variability, and potential failure, leading to issues such as toxicity from over-dosing or poor efficacy from under-dosing, and the need for extended release periods without increasing device size.
Innovation Solution
An intra-ruminal device with a body impervious to rumen fluid, containing a matrix with active ingredients and clay minerals, and a compression arrangement to bias the matrix for controlled release, ensuring a sustained delivery of active ingredients over extended periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If existing sustained release technologies are used to extend the release period, then the duration of action is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to increased variability of delivery and potential device failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the matrix material by incorporating clay minerals (such as montmorillonite, bentonite, or hectorite) with specific cation exchange capacities and swelling properties. These parameter changes enable the matrix to maintain structural integrity and controlled release characteristics over extended periods (200-365 days) while preventing piston failure and delivery variability through the clay's ability to regulate fluid interaction and maintain matrix stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite matrix material combining clay minerals with active ingredient and excipients. This composite structure leverages the clay mineral's unique properties (swelling capacity, cation exchange, structural stability) to enhance the matrix's ability to sustain controlled release over extended periods while maintaining reliability. The composite material prevents device failure by distributing mechanical stresses and regulating fluid penetration through the clay's layered structure.
2Productivity
If the release period is extended to reduce dosing frequency, then productivity is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to difficulty in maintaining linearity of dose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the clay mineral's specific parameters (layer structure, swelling capacity, cation exchange capacity) to control the release kinetics. By selecting clays with appropriate properties and controlling their content (typically 10-50% of matrix weight), the system achieves linear release profiles over extended periods. The clay's ability to swell controllably and interact with rumen fluid at regulated rates ensures consistent dose delivery without compromising manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces purely mechanical release mechanisms with a chemically-mediated release system based on clay-mineral-rumen fluid interactions. The clay minerals provide a chemical/physical interface that regulates active ingredient release through ion exchange and controlled swelling, rather than relying solely on mechanical erosion or diffusion. This substitution enables extended release duration while maintaining linear dose delivery through the clay's inherent regulatory properties.
3Ease of operation
If the device size is reduced for oral delivery, then ease of operation is improved, but the duration of action deteriorates due to limited space for sustained release materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs clay minerals with inherent porous and layered structures (such as montmorillonite's interlayer spacing or bentonite's porous network) to maximize the surface area and volume available for active ingredient incorporation within a compact matrix. This porous structure allows high drug loading density while maintaining small overall device size suitable for oral delivery. The porous clay structure also provides extended release pathways that prolong the release period without increasing device dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the density and porosity parameters of the release matrix by incorporating clay minerals, which have high surface area to volume ratios. This parameter change allows the matrix to contain sufficient active ingredient for extended release (200-365 days) within a compact form factor. The clay's physical parameters (layer spacing, particle size distribution, porosity) are optimized to achieve both small device size and extended release duration simultaneously.
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 provides a sustained, linear delivery of active ingredients for up to 300 days with minimal variability, reducing the need for frequent dosages and minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the at least one matrix in the barrel comprises at least one active ingredient and at least one clay mineral
Implementation Method 2
the at least one matrix in the barrel comprises at least one active ingredient and at least one clay mineral
Implementation Method 3
a compression arrangement within the body adapted to bias the at least one matrix in the barrel to the at least one outlet
Implementation Method 4
a body substantially impervious to rumen fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An intra-ruminal device includes a body substantially impervious to rumen fluid, the body including a barrel, at least one outlet, at least one matrix including at least one active ingredient and at least one clay mineral, a compression arrangement and at least one variable geometry device dependent from the body. Use of the intra-ruminal device and a method of treating a ruminant animal by administering the intra-ruminal device to the animal are also disclosed.