Forsight Vision4, Inc.

Spiral Therapeutics, Inc.

Johns Hopkins University

Signe R Erickson

Randolph E Campbell

Eugene De Juan, Jr

Kathleen Cogan Farinas

Darren G Doud

Cary J Reich

Yair Alster

K Angela Macfarlane

Kevin W Sacherman

Christina Skieller

David Batten

Eugene De Juan

Hugo Peris

Greg Stine

Vrad Levering

Mike Barrett

Irina Astafieva

Bradley G Bachelder

Charles Limb

Judit Horvath

Jeremy Boyette

Andrew Ayoob

Blaine Bueche

Douglas Sutton

Michael Barrett

Steven M Chamow

Terry Harrison Shelley

Aaron Christopher Barnes

Michael J Cooney

K Angela MacFarlane

Nikhil Talreja

Jr Eugene De Juan

Devices, systems, and methods can be employed to facilitate indirect viewing into cavities such as, but not limited to, the middle ear space. Some embodiments have uses such as, but not limited to, facilitating visualization and procedures in the outer, middle, and/or inner ear in order to diagnose and/or treat disorders including, but not limited to, hearing loss and other ear disorders. In particular implementations, a surgical microscope is used in conjunction with an inverter lens and a distal lens. In some cases, the distal lens transverses a membrane or septum such as, but not limited to, the tympanic membrane. The distal lens can be an assembly combining two or more lenses, in some embodiments. For example, in some cases wide angle lenses, zoom lenses, lenses of other various shapes and/or prisms can be used in the distal lens.

Visualization devices, systems, and methods for otology and other uses

Devices, systems, and methods can be employed to facilitate performing procedures in the outer, middle, and/or inner ear in order to diagnose and/or treat disorders including, but not limited to, hearing loss and other ear disorders. For example, this document describes devices, systems and methods that include instruments and techniques to minimize the invasiveness and/or to enhance the efficacy of procedures that are performed in the outer, middle, and/or inner ear spaces such as mastoidectomy, tympanoplasty, cholesteatoma treatments, otosclerosis treatments, and Eustachian tube treatments.

Devices, systems, and methods for otology

Systems and methods can be employed for facilitating access and procedures in the outer, middle, and inner ear in order to diagnose or treat ear disorders including, but not limited to hearing loss and excessive ear wax. In some examples, the systems and methods include instruments and techniques that facilitate trans-tympanic membrane or trans-fibrous ring access to the middle ear. The systems and methods can also be used to improve accessibility for various otological surgical procedures, such as, but not limited to, cholesteatoma removal, tympanic membrane repair and ossicular chain repair.

Described are implantable devices having expandable reservoirs for the sustained release of therapeutic agents. The device is configured to be at least partially implanted in an eye and includes a retention structure and a penetrable element coupled to and extending within at least a portion of the retention structure. A porous drug release mechanism is positioned in fluid communication with an outlet of the device; and a reservoir having a volume configured to contain one or more therapeutic agents is in fluid communication with the outlet through the porous drug release mechanism. The device is at least partially inserted along an axis of insertion. The reservoir enlarges from an insertion configuration having a first three-dimensional shape to an expanded configuration having a second three-dimensional shape, the second three-dimensional shape being eccentrically positioned relative to the axis of insertion.

Expandable drug delivery devices and methods of use

A therapeutic device for extended release drug delivery including a refillable reservoir configured to receive a therapeutic agent and having an outlet for delivery of the therapeutic agent to a patient from the reservoir over an extended period. A porous structure is coupled near the outlet of the reservoir, the porous structure formed of sintered material. A barrier layer is coupled to the reservoir on or adjacent a surface of the porous structure such that the therapeutic agent passes through both the porous structure and the barrier layer upon delivery from the reservoir through the outlet. The porous structure is tuned to deliver the therapeutic agent at a diffusion rate and the barrier layer is adapted to block passage of particles having an average particle size within an average particle size range that is outside an average particle size range blocked by the porous structure. Related methods and systems are provided.

Porous structures for extended release drug delivery devices

Intra-tympanic injections of therapeutics into the inner ear can be used to treat conditions such as hearing loss. One or more stabilizing devices that define working channels can be temporarily implanted in the tympanic membrane. Purpose-built instruments such as endoscopes, forceps, and injections instruments can be passed through the working channels of the stabilizer devices to access the inner ear where the therapy can be administered. Afterwards, the stabilizing devices can be removed from the tympanic membrane and the tympanic membrane can heal, typically without the need for sutures.

Minimally-invasive tools and methods for accessing the middle and inner ear through the tympanic membrane

A system for delivering one or more therapeutics to a region of the ear, the region being internal to a tympanic membrane. The system includes a canal guide configured to be inserted within and fittingly engaged with walls of the ear canal and needle assembly having a flexible shaft sized to extend through the canal guide. The canal guide provides alignment of the needle assembly within the ear canal relative to the tympanic membrane. The canal guide includes a viewing lumen extending between a proximal end to a distal-most end of the canal guide and is sized to remain external to the tympanic membrane. The canal guide includes a guide lumen extending to a distal opening near the distal-most end of the canal guide. The guide lumen curves from a first axis to a second axis. Related devices, systems, and methods are provided.

Intratympanic injector devices and needles for delivery of drugs and methods of use

Described are implantable therapeutic devices, systems and methods to treat a patient. The device includes a hollow refillable housing for implantation within the posterior segment of an eye through a penetration in the sclera including a proximal retention structure protruding outward from a proximal end region of the housing, an access portion opening, and a penetrable barrier positioned at least in part within the access portion opening, the penetrable barrier configured to be repeatedly penetrated. A rigid porous structure is positioned within a region of the housing away from the access portion opening into a reservoir chamber extends along an axis between the penetrable barrier and the porous structure includes a volume sized to deliver therapeutic amounts of a therapeutic agent to the eye for an extended period of time. A cover is coupled to at least an upper surface of the proximal retention structure.

Ophthalmic implant for delivering therapeutic substances

An implantable device having a reservoir for the sustained release of therapeutic agents. The device is configured to be at least partially implanted in an eye and include a retention structure and a penetrable element coupled to and extending within at least a portion of the proximal end region of the device. The device includes a porous drug release element is positioned in fluid communication with an outlet of the device and a reservoir having a volume configured to contain one or more therapeutic agents in fluid communication with the outlet through the porous drug release element. The device is at least partially inserted along an axis of insertion.

Implantable ocular drug delivery devices

An implantable device for delivering a therapeutic agent to treat an ear of a patient includes a body having a distal end region and a proximal end region. The body defines, at least in part, a reservoir configured to contain the therapeutic agent. The device includes a shaft attached to the distal end region of the body and a lumen extending through the shaft having at least one inlet at a proximal end region in fluid communication with the reservoir and at least one outlet at a distal end region. Upon implantation of the body in a region of the ear, a length of the shaft is sufficient to extend from the body to at least the round window membrane of the ear. The device is configured to deliver the therapeutic agent to the ear from the reservoir via passive diffusion. Related devices and methods are described.

Inner ear drug delivery devices and methods of use

Systems and methods can be employed for trans-tympanic membrane access to the middle ear for delivery of a formulation or implant device to a target location under direct visualization. The systems and methods can also be used to improve accessibility and visualization for various otological surgical procedures, such as, but not limited to, cholesteatoma removal, tympanic membrane repair and ossicular chain repair.

Devices, systems, and methods for treating ear disorders

An apparatus to treat a patient comprises a container to receive fluid of a device implanted in the eye. The fluid of the device can be analyzed to determine a component of the vitreous humor of the eye.

Diagnostic methods and apparatus

Methods and apparatus provide a therapeutic fluid to devices implanted in the body, for example to containers of devices implanted in the eye of a patient. The methods and apparatus may comprise an injector to increase an amount of therapeutic agent injected into the device implanted in the eye, or a structure to receive the therapeutic fluid within the device implanted in the eye, or combinations thereof. The device implanted in the eye may comprise a reservoir chamber having a fluid with a density different than the therapeutic fluid, and the apparatus can be adapted to at least partially separate the implanted device fluid from therapeutic fluid within the reservoir chamber to increase and amount of therapeutic fluid placed in the reservoir chamber.

Injector apparatus and method for drug delivery

Methods and apparatus provide treatment with a first therapeutic agent and a second therapeutic agent for an extended time. The first therapeutic agent may comprise a VEGF inhibitor and the second therapeutic agent may comprise an antiinflammatory, such as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, for example a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. One or more of the first therapeutic agent or the second therapeutic agent can be injected into the eye, for example injected into a therapeutic device implanted into the eye to release the injected therapeutic agent for an extended time.

Growing community of inventors

South San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Signe R Erickson