Multi-Compartment Vaginal Delivery Device for pH and Microbiome Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional treatments for vaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis often disrupt the natural pH balance and healthy bacterial flora in the female genital tract, leading to recurrence and side effects, with growing concerns over antifungal resistance and limited effectiveness of probiotics and antibiotics.
Innovation Solution
A multi-compartment delivery device containing a pH modifying material and a synbiotic combination of prebiotics and probiotics, where the pH modifying material lowers the pH to kill harmful fungi and bacteria, and the synbiotic introduces and nourishes beneficial bacteria, promoting a healthy vaginal environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antifungal medications are used to treat vaginal candidiasis, then the infection is killed, but beneficial bacteria are also killed and antifungal resistance develops
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment is segmented into two distinct components delivered separately: an antifungal agent to kill Candida and a probiotic composition to restore beneficial bacteria. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without the harmful side effects of combination therapy.
Solution Approach 2:
The probiotic composition is administered after the antifungal treatment to preliminarily restore the vaginal microbiome before the patient leaves the clinical setting. This preliminary action prevents the recurrence of infection by reestablishing protective flora.
2Reliability
If probiotics are taken orally to restore vaginal flora, then beneficial bacteria may be introduced, but they are killed by heat and stomach acid before reaching the vagina
Solution Approach 1:
A protective delivery system acts as an intermediary between the probiotics and the harsh gastrointestinal environment. This system protects the probiotics from heat and stomach acid during transit, ensuring they remain viable until they reach their target destination in the vaginal tract.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on oral administration, the invention creates a direct copy of the desired effect by administering probiotics directly to the vaginal tract, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract entirely. This eliminates the need for protection against stomach acid and heat.
3Ease of operation
If a single compartment delivers both antifungal and probiotic, then treatment is simplified, but the mechanisms of action interfere with each other
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is segmented into separate compartments for the antifungal agent and probiotic composition. This physical segmentation prevents interaction between the two agents while maintaining ease of administration through a single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The probiotic compartment is nested within or alongside the antifungal compartment in a nested doll configuration. This nesting allows both compartments to be delivered together as a single unit while maintaining their functional independence and preventing interference between mechanisms of action.
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 effectively treats and prevents vaginal infections by stabilizing the vaginal biome, reducing recurrence, and minimizing harm to beneficial bacteria, while addressing antifungal resistance concerns.
Implementation Method 1
the pH modifying material lowers the pH to kill harmful fungi and bacteria
Implementation Method 2
the synbiotic introduces and nourishes beneficial bacteria, promoting a healthy vaginal environment
Data Source
AI summary
A parenteral delivery device and method of delivering a multi-system treatment to a centralized location where the delivery device includes at least an inner compartment encapsulating a first system and an outer compartment encapsulating a second system and the first and second systems have different mechanisms of action for use in the treatment of vaginal infection.