Thermoreversible Hydrogel Retention for Internal Cavity Drug Delivery

Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for internal body cavities, such as the bladder, face challenges in adhering to mucosal tissue, maintaining drug concentration, and ensuring sustained release due to natural movements and fluid flow, leading to inefficiencies and complications.

Innovation Solution

A mucoadhesive, bioerodible, thermoreversible hydrogel composition that forms a drug reservoir upon application, providing sustained release and adherence to internal cavity surfaces despite natural motions, with controlled drug delivery and biocompatibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional treatments are applied to internal body cavities, then the treatment materials can be introduced into the cavity, but the materials are expelled by natural body fluid flow and cavity movements, reducing treatment effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidretention time of treatment material

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The hydrogel composition utilizes the body's natural temperature to trigger gelation and adhesion to the mucosal tissue, eliminating the need for external fixation devices or surgical intervention. The material self-adheres and sustains drug release without requiring additional energy input or mechanical support systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The treatment material undergoes a phase transition from liquid to gel upon contact with body temperature, transforming from a flowable state that can be easily expelled to a gel state that adheres to tissue and maintains position for sustained drug delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Reliability

If drug concentration is increased to improve therapeutic effect, then treatment efficacy improves, but systemic exposure and toxicity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic efficacyVSAvoidsystemic toxicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hydrogel composition creates a localized high-concentration drug reservoir directly at the treatment site through sustained release, achieving high therapeutic efficacy locally while maintaining low systemic drug levels, thereby eliminating the trade-off between efficacy and toxicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The sustained release mechanism provides continuous drug delivery over time, maintaining effective local concentrations without requiring repeated high-dose administrations that would increase systemic exposure and cumulative toxicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If invasive methods are used to ensure drug delivery, then drug delivery reliability improves, but patient comfort decreases and complications increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrug delivery reliabilityVSAvoidinvasive complications

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hydrogel composition utilizes the body's natural temperature to trigger gelation and adhesion to the mucosal tissue, eliminating the need for external fixation devices or surgical intervention. The material self-adheres and sustains drug release without requiring additional energy input or mechanical support systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The treatment material undergoes a phase transition from liquid to gel upon contact with body temperature, transforming from a flowable state that can be easily expelled to a gel state that adheres to tissue and maintains position for sustained drug delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

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

Enhances bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy while reducing systemic exposure and toxicity, offering a non-invasive, prolonged drug delivery solution.

Implementation Method 1

A mucoadhesive, bioerodible, thermoreversible hydrogel composition that forms a drug reservoir upon application

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermoreversible gelation: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

A mucoadhesive, bioerodible, thermoreversible hydrogel composition that forms a drug reservoir upon application, providing sustained release and adherence to internal cavity surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMucoadhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 3

providing sustained release and adherence to internal cavity surfaces despite natural motions, with controlled drug delivery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 4

A mucoadhesive, bioerodible, thermoreversible hydrogel composition

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBioerosion: Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentUS12440568B2Material and method for treating internal cavities

Publication Date: 2025.10.14 UROGEN PHARMA LTD

AI summary

A hydrophilic biocompatible sustained-release material is disclosed. The material comprises amounts of an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymer, HPMC, and water, effective to produce a composition of sufficiently low viscosity at room temperature to be injectable into an internal body cavity via a tube inserted within a urinary catheter. At body temperature, the material exhibits a much higher viscosity and will stably adhere to the internal surface of a body cavity. As the material dissolves, a therapeutic agent incorporated therein is slowly released to the body cavity, while the material itself is excreted from the body.