Alza Corporation

Charles F Albert

Scott Jay Gilbert

J Richard Gyory

Gary A Lattin

A device (10) for the electrically assisted delivery of a therapeutic agent is described. The device (10) has rigid zones or regions (12, 14) which are physically connected by a flexible means (16) such as a web. The flexible means (16) permits the rigid zones (12, 14) to move independently with respect to each other while remaining physically connected or coupled. In a preferred embodiment, the rigid zones are physically and electronically coupled by the flexible means. In another embodiment, the device (500) comprises one or more rigid zones, the skin side of the rigid zone having a radius of curvature (520) which approximates that of the body site to which the device (500) is to be attached. A method of increasing the body surface conformability of an electrotransport device (50, 150, 170) is described. The method involves the step of intentionally placing rigid subcomponents (58, 36, 37) of the device in physically separate zones (52, 54; 152, 154, 156, 158; 172, 174, 176, 178) within the device. The rigid zones (52, 54; 152, 154, 156, 158; 172, 174, 176, 178) are separate and are coupled by flexible connector means (56, 62; 160, 162). In this manner, a conformable mosaic of rigid zones which comprises the device is created.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Charles F Albert