Patents
US 12337141 B2: Method and apparatus for the fail-safe termination of in vivo drug delivery from an implantable drug delivery system
- Granted
- 2025-06-24
- Filed
- 2023-11-10 application 18388626
- Type
- Utility · 19 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A method for the fail-safe termination of in vivo drug delivery from an implantable drug delivery system, the method comprising: providing an implantable drug delivery system comprising: a housing having a reservoir for containing a drug, and a port for dispensing the drug to a patient; and an emergency deactivation unit disposed between the reservoir and the port, the emergency deactivation unit comprising a composite structure comprising a biocompatible ferromagnetic mesh open to fluid flow and a hydrophobic meltable material, the hydrophobic meltable material comprising at least one hole therein for enabling a fluid to pass through the hydrophobic meltable material; implanting the implantable drug delivery system within a patient; enabling the drug to flow from the reservoir, through the at least one hole in the hydrophobic meltable material and out the port; and when drug flow is to be terminated, applying a magnetic field to the composite structure, such that a current is induced in the ferromagnetic mesh which heats the ferromagnetic mesh and melts the hydrophobic meltable material, thereby closing the at least one hole in the hydrophobic meltable material and blocking drug delivery to the patient.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg250624.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Methodist Hospital 51 patents | US company or organization | Houston, TX | THE METHODIST HOSPITAL State business registration EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state THE METHODIST HOSPITAL Nonprofit EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marco Farina | Houston, TX | 13 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Robert Lyle Hood | Houston, TX | 6 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Alessandro Grattoni | Houston, TX | 12 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| A61M | Devices for introducing media into, or onto, the body ; devices for transducing body media or for taking media from the body ; devices for producing or ending sleep or stupor | A61M5/16881 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| A61K | Preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes | A61K9/0009 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| F16K | Valves; taps; cocks; actuating-floats; devices for venting or aerating | F16K13/10 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
No recorded assignments or security interests on file for this patent.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.