Tti Ellebeau, Inc.

Hidero Akiyama

Akihiko Matsumura

Mizuo Nakayama

Takehiko Matsumura

Kiyoshi Kanamura

Akihiko Tanioka

Nobuharu Kosiba

Tsutomu Shibata

Mie Minagawa

An iontophoresis device including an active electrode assembly or a counter electrode assembly with a polarizable electrode containing any one of a conductive material having a capacitance per unit weight of 1 F/g or greater, a conductive material having a specific surface area of 10 m2/g or greater, and activated carbon is disclosed. The generation of gas or ions due to an electrode reaction occurring in an electrode assembly may be reduced or prevented. In addition, the alteration of an active agent due to a chemical reaction upon energization may be reduced or prevented.

Iontophoresis device

An iontophoresis device may be capable of preventing or reducing the generation of gas, or the production of undesirable ions, due to an electrode reaction occurring in an electrode assembly; or the alteration of an active agent due to a chemical reaction upon energization. A doping layer made of a substance such as a conductive polymer that effects an electrochemical reaction due to the doping or de-doping of an ion, may be formed in an electrode in an active electrode assembly or counter electrode assembly of an iontophoresis device.

An shaped iontophoresis device is capable of permeating an active agent (e.g., a drug solution) into an oral cavity, a skin cancer, or the like by iontophoresis in a pinpoint manner. A catheter-type iontophoresis device includes a small working electrode assembly and a small non-working electrode assembly at the tip of a holding portion. A first ion exchange membrane and a fourth ion exchange membrane at the tips of the assemblies are brought into close contact with a target area so that a drug solution is permeated by iontophoresis in a pinpoint manner. The working electrode assembly and the non-working electrode assembly are attached to the tip of a rod-shaped member. The rod-shaped member is detachable from the tip of the holding portion, and is exchangeable integrally with the portion. The iontophoresis device may advantageously take the form of a rod or catheter.

The present invention provides an iontophoresis device with high administration efficient of a drug. An iontophoresis device, including an active electrode structure including: an electrode to which a positive electrical potential is applied; a drug holding part for holding a drug solution containing positively charged drug ions, the drug holding part being placed on a front side of the electrode; a cellulose-based resin film placed on a front side of the drug holding part or a complex film composed of a cation exchange membrane and a cellulose-based resin film placed on a front side of the cation exchange membrane, the complex film being placed on a front side of the drug holding part, in which the drug ions are administered through the cellulose-based resin film.

An iontophoresis device for administering drug ions via the first ion-exchange membrane, comprising a first semi-permeable film having a number of pores passing through the film from a front surface to a back surface, a first ion-exchange membrane formed of ion-exchange resin filling the pores of the first semi-permeable film and selective ions of a first polarity, and a working electrode structure having a drug holding part placed on a back surface of the first ion-exchange membrane and holding a drug solution containing drug ions charged in the first polarity, wherein a layer of a water-soluble polymer compound is chemically bonded on the surface of the first semi-permeable film.

An iontophoresis device includes: a first electrode; a biological interface contact member including a substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, and a plurality of needles that protrude from the front surface of the substrate and can be inserted into a biological interface, the biological interface contact member allowing selective permeation of ions of a first polarity; and a drug holding part applied with an electrical potential or voltage through the first electrode and holding a drug solution containing drug ions charged in the first polarity, the drug holding part being interposed between the first electrode and the biological interface contact member.

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Shibuya-ku, Japan

Hidero Akiyama