346 results about "Skin penetration" patented technology

An integrated monitoring and body fluid sampling device constructed to permit digital as well as alternate-site body fluid sampling and analysis, the device comprising: a housing; at least one skin-penetration member; and a member constructed for the application of circumferential or vacuum pressure to an appendage; wherein the member is detachably or retractably connected to the housing in a manner such that the integrated monitoring and body fluid sampling device can perform digital or alternate-site body fluid sampling and analysis. Additional arrangements and techniques are also described.

Devices, systems, kits and methods for increasing the skin's permeability controlled by measured skin electrical parameter are described herein. They may be used for transdermal drug delivery and / or analyte extraction or measurement. The controlled abrasion device contains (i) a hand piece, (ii) an abrasive tip, (iii) a feedback control mechanism, (iv) two or more electrodes, and (v) an electrical motor. Preferably the feedback control mechanism is an internal feedback control mechanism. In this embodiment, the abrasive tip contains two electrodes, i.e. both the source electrode and the return electrode. In another embodiment, the feedback control mechanism is an external feedback control. In the preferred embodiment for external feedback control, the device contains a co-axial or concentric arrangement of the two electrodes. In this embodiment, the abrasive tip contains the source electrode and the return electrode is located at the proximal end of the hand piece. The abrasive tip can be made of any material with a surface that can abrade skin. The material can be conductive or non-conductive. The controlled abrasion device may be provided in a kit, where the kit contains the device, one or more abrasive tips, optionally with a wetting fluid. The method for increasing the skin's permeability requires applying the controlled abrasion device to a portion of the skin's surface for a short period of time. The desired level of skin impedance, and thus the resulting permeability of the treated site, can be set at a predetermined value. Alternatively, the level of skin impedance can be selected based on the desired level of skin integrity, the subject's sensation of discomfort, or the duration of the application. The device contains a control mechanism which uses an appropriate algorithm or signal processing on the conductivity information provided by the electrodes to determine when the desired level of skin permeability has been reached. Once the desired level has been reached, the abrasion device is removed and either a drug delivery composition or device or an analyte sensor is applied to the treated site.

A transcutaneous immunization system where the topical application of an adjuvant and an antigen or nucleic acid encoding for an antigen, to intact skin induces a systemic or mucosol antibody response. The immune response so elicited can be enhanced by physical or chemical skin penetration enhancement.