MANUFACTURING METHODS FOR GASTRIC RESIDENCE SYSTEMS
A gastric residence system comprises one or more retention members comprising: at least one drug eluting component; and at least one laser linker component laser welded to the at least one drug eluting component.
1 . A gastric residence system comprising:
one or more retention members comprising:
at least one drug eluting component; and
at least one laser linker component laser welded to the at least one drug eluting component.
2 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more retention members are attached to an elastomeric component.
3 . The gastric residence system of claim 2 , wherein the elastomeric component is overmolded onto a first portion of at least one intercomponent anchor.
4 . The gastric residence system of claim 3 , wherein a laser linker component is overmolded onto a second portion of the at least one intercomponent anchor.
5 . The gastric residence system of claim 4 , wherein a first retention member is attached to the elastomeric component via the overmolded laser linker component.
6 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laser linker component comprises an inactive component.
7 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laser linker component comprises an enteric disintegrating matrix.
8 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one laser linker component comprises a time-dependent disintegrating matrix.
9 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein a difference between a melt flow index of the at least one laser linker component and a melt flow index of the at least one drug eluting component is at least 10%.
10 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein a difference between a melt flow index of the at least one laser linker component and a melt flow index of the at least one drug eluting component is less than 50%.
11 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein a polycaprolactone content of the at least one laser linker component is at least 30% by weight.
12 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein a polycaprolactone content of the at least one drug eluting component is at least 30% by weight.
13 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein a melting temperature of the at least one drug eluting component is within 1-75° C. of a melting temperature of the at least one laser linker component.
14 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein a width of a melt zone between laser welded components of the one or more retention members is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.
15 . The gastric residence system of claim 1 , wherein a depth of a melt zone between laser welded components of the one or more retention members is at least 90% of a depth of an interface between the laser welded components.
16 . A method of making a gastric residence system comprising one or more retention members comprising at least one drug eluting component and at least one laser linker component, the method comprising:
laser welding the at least one drug eluting component to the at least one laser linker component.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
placing the at least one laser linker component and the at least one drug eluting component in a laser welding holder prior to laser welding.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
applying a radial force which presses the at least one drug eluting component against the at least one laser linker component.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
applying a downward force which presses the at least one drug eluting component and the at least one laser linker component against the laser welding holder.
20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein laser welding is performed using a laser having a wavelength between 0.7 μm and 2.5 μm.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein laser welding is performed using a laser having a Gaussian energy profile or a top hat energy profile.
22 . The method of claim 16 , wherein laser welding is performed using a laser having a beam diameter between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.
23 . The method of claim 16 , wherein laser welding is performed in an environment with less than 40% humidity.
24 . The method of claim 16 , wherein laser welding is performed in an environment with at least 10% humidity.
25 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
laser welding the one or more retention members to an elastomeric component, wherein the elastomeric component comprises one or more laser linker components configured to be laser welded to the one or more retention members.
26 . The method of claim 16 , wherein laser welding the at least one drug eluting component to the at least one laser linker component comprises laser welding along a repetitive path connecting corresponding interfaces between the at least one drug eluting component and the at least one linker on each retention member.
27 . A laser welding system comprising:
a laser welding holder configured to hold pieces of a gastric residence system in an assembled order;
at least one radial pressure piston configured to apply a radial force to the gastric residence system in a direction transverse to seams between each piece;
at least one vertical pressure piston configured to apply a downward force to the gastric residence system in a direction parallel to the seams between each piece; and
at least one laser configured to weld the seams between each piece of the gastric residence system.
28 . The laser welding system of claim 27 , wherein the laser welding holder comprises grooves sized and shaped to receive the pieces of the gastric residence system.
29 . The laser welding system of claim 27 , further comprising a cover configured to hold the components of the gastric residence system in place during laser welding.
30 . The laser welding system of claim 27 , further comprising a top layer on top of the cover.