Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Analytical Instrumentation, Methods & Materials
Analytical Instrumentation Methods Materials
Microfluidic Device for Drug Delivery
WARF: P04240US

Inventors: David Beebe, Michael MacDonald, David Eddington, Glennys Mensing

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners interested in developing a microfluidic drug delivery device.
Overview
Oral ingestion of pharmaceuticals is considered the safest, most convenient and most economical method of administering drugs. However, many pharmaceuticals cannot be delivered orally because they are too large or too electrically charged to pass through the small intestine into the bloodstream, or because they are unable to withstand the environment of the digestive tract.
The Invention
As an alternative to oral administration, UW-Madison researchers have developed a microfluidic device for delivering a steady infusion of a drug through the skin. The device may take the form of a thin, transcutaneous patch that can be worn for extended periods of time. The device includes a reservoir for storing the drug, and a valve that connects the reservoir to an output needle inserted into the patient’s skin. A pressure source causes the drug to flow from the reservoir to the needle. The key advantage of this design is that the valve can move between the open and closed positions in response to a predetermined condition in the patient’s physiological fluids, providing autonomous control of drug flow.
Applications
  • Treatment of diseases such as diabetes
Key Benefits
  • Delivers a steady infusion of pharmaceuticals to a patient as needed
  • Delivery is autonomously controlled.
  • Allows closed loop regulation based on physiological signals
  • Neither under-medicates nor over-medicates the individual
  • Simple to use
  • Inexpensive to manufacture
Additional Information
For More Information About the Inventors
Related Intellectual Property
For current licensing status, please contact Jeanine Burmania at [javascript protected email address] or 608-960-9846

WARF