Mediation of in vivo analyte signal degradation

1. A sensor for measurement of an analyte in a medium within a living animal, the sensor comprising:

a sensor housing;

an analyte indicator covering at least a portion of the sensor housing; and

one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties, wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio-, or mercapto-containing moieties reduce a degradation rate of the analyte indicator and are selected from:

a) 3,3′-Dithiodipropionic acid, 4,4′-Dithiodibutyric acid, Dithiodiglycolic acid, 2-Hydroxyethyl disulfide, S,S′-Methylenebis (3-Mercaptopropionic acid), 3-Mercaptopropionic acid, 6,6′-Dithiodinicotinic acid, Lipoic acid, 1,2-Dithiolane-3-pentanoic acid, Lipoic acid, reduced, Thioctic acid, ditridecyl thiodipropionate, distearyl thiodipropionate, dimyristyl thiodipropionate, Dilauryl thiodipropionate, 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid, 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid, Didodecyl 3,3′-thiodipropionate, 2,2′-Thiodiacetic acid, 4,4′-Thiodiphenol, Thiodipropionic acid dilauryl ester, 3,3′-Thiodipropanol, Glutathione, 2,2′-(Ethylenedithio) diacetic acid, Ergothioneine, Methionine, 3-Mercaptopropane-1,2-diol, dithionate salts, thioglycolate salts, thiomalate salts, Lipoyllysine, and any combination thereof;

b) cysteine and compounds represented by Formula IV

or a salt, ester, hydrate, solvate, or amide thereof; or

c) both a) and b).

2. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is implantable within a living animal.

3. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are incorporated into the analyte indicator.

4. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte indicator is a hydrogel.

5. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are entrapped in a hydrogel covering at least a portion of the sensor housing, and the hydrogel entrapping the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties is separate and distinct from the analyte indicator.

6. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties interact or react with a degradative species without compromising signal integrity or performance of the sensor device, wherein the degradative species is hydrogen peroxide, a reactive oxygen species, a reactive nitrogen species, a free radical, an enzyme, or a metal ion.

7. The sensor of claim 6 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties bind to the degradative species.

8. The sensor of claim 6 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties sequester the degradative species so as to reduce, and/or prevent degradation of the analyte indicator by the degradative species.

9. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are selected from:

cysteine and compounds represented by Formula IV:

or a salt, ester, hydrate, solvate, or amide thereof.

10. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are selected from N-Acetyl Cysteine, cysteic acid, homocysteic acid, cysteine sulfinic acid, or a salt, ester, hydrate, solvate, or amide thereof.

11. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one drug eluting polymer matrix that covers at least a portion of the sensor housing.

12. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are selected from:

3,3′-Dithiodipropionic acid; 4,4′-Dithiodibutyric acid; Dithiodiglycolic acid; 2-Hydroxyethyl disulfide; S,S′-Methylenebis (3-Mercaptopropionic acid); 3-Mercaptopropionic acid; 6,6′-Dithiodinicotinic acid; Lipoic acid; 1,2-Dithiolane-3-pentanoic acid; Lipoic acid, reduced; Thioctic acid; ditridecyl thiodipropionate; distearyl thiodipropionate; dimyristyl thiodipropionate; Dilauryl thiodipropionate; 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid; 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid, polymer-bound; Didodecyl 3,3′-thiodipropionate; 2,2′-Thiodiacetic acid; 4,4′-Thiodiphenol; Thiodipropionic acid dilauryl ester; 3,3′-Thiodipropanol; Glutathione; 2,2′-(Ethylenedithio) diacetic acid; Ergothioneine; Methionine; 3-Mercaptopropane-1,2-dio; dithionate salts; thioglycolate salts; thiomalate salts; and Lipoyllysine.

13. A method of fabricating a sensor for measurement of an analyte in a medium within a living animal, the method comprising:

inserting the sensor into a composition for an amount of time sufficient to effect soaking of the composition into the analyte indicator, wherein the sensor includes a sensor housing and an analyte indicator that covers at least a portion of the sensor housing, and the composition comprises one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties; and

removing the sensor from the composition,

wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties reduce a degradation rate of the analyte indicator and are selected from:

a) 3,3′-Dithiodipropionic acid, 4,4′-Dithiodibutyric acid, Dithiodiglycolic acid, 2-Hydroxyethyl disulfide, S,S′-Methylenebis (3-Mercaptopropionic acid), 3-Mercaptopropionic acid, 6,6′-Dithiodinicotinic acid, Lipoic acid, 1,2-Dithiolane-3-pentanoic acid, Lipoic acid, reduced, Thioctic acid, ditridecyl thiodipropionate, distearyl thiodipropionate, dimyristyl thiodipropionate, Dilauryl thiodipropionate, 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid, 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid, Didodecyl 3,3′-thiodipropionate, 2,2′-Thiodiacetic acid, 4,4′-Thiodiphenol, Thiodipropionic acid dilauryl ester, 3,3′-Thiodipropanol, Glutathione, 2,2′-(Ethylenedithio) diacetic acid, Ergothioneine, Methionine, 3-Mercaptopropane-1,2-dio, dithionate salts, thioglycolate salts, thiomalate salts, Lipoyllysine, and any combination thereof;

b) cysteine and compounds represented by Formula IV

or a salt, ester, hydrate, solvate, or amide thereof; or

c) both a) and b).

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising applying an analyte indicator to a sensor housing of the sensor such that the applied analyte indicator covers at least a portion of the sensor housing before the inserting step.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising preparing the composition comprising the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties before the inserting step.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the amount of time is sufficient to effect soaking of the composition into the analyte indicator.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties and a solvent.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the solvent comprises an alcohol, water, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises about 0.01 to about 25% by weight of the compounds having one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the amount of time is between about 5 minutes and about 24 hours.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are entrapped in a hydrogel covering at least a portion of the sensor housing, and the hydrogel entrapping the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties is separate and distinct from the analyte indicator.

22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties reduce oxidation of the analyte indicator.

23. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties interact or react with a degradative species without compromising signal integrity or performance of the sensor device, wherein the degradative species is hydrogen peroxide, a reactive oxygen species, a reactive nitrogen species, an enzyme, a free radical, or a metal ion.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties sequester the degradative species so as to reduce and/or prevent degradation of the analyte indicator by the degradative species.

25. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are selected from:

cysteine and compounds represented by Formula IV:

or a salt, ester, hydrate, solvate, or amide thereof.

26. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio- or mercapto-containing moieties are selected from N-Acetyl Cysteine, cysteic acid, homocysteic acid, cysteine sulfinic acid, or a salt, ester, hydrate, solvate, or amide thereof.

27. The method of claim 13 , further comprising covering at least a portion of the sensor housing with at least one drug eluting polymer matrix.

28. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more compounds having dithio-, thio-, or mercapto-containing moieties are selected from: 3,3′-Dithiodipropionic acid; 4,4′-Dithiodibutyric acid; Dithiodiglycolic acid; 2-Hydroxyethyl disulfide; $,S′-Methylenebis (3-Mercaptopropionic acid); 3-Mercaptopropionic acid; 6,6′-Dithiodinicotinic acid; Lipoic acid; 1,2-Dithiolane-3-pentanoic acid; Lipoic acid, reduced; Thioctic acid; ditridecyl thiodipropionate; distearyl thiodipropionate; dimyristyl thiodipropionate; Dilauryl thiodipropionate; 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid; 3,3′-Thiodipropionic acid; Didodecyl 3,3′-thiodipropionate; 2,2′-Thiodiacetic acid; 4,4′-Thiodiphenol; Thiodipropionic acid dilauryl ester; 3,3′-Thiodipropanol; Glutathione; 2,2′-(Ethylenedithio) diacetic acid; Ergothioneine; Methionine; 3-Mercaptopropane-1,2-dio; dithionate salts; thioglycolate salts; thiomalate salts; and Lipoyllysine.