Method of providing agents to the cochlea

1. A cochlear implant, comprising:

auditory nerve stimulator circuitry to generate an auditory nerve stimulator electrical pulse profile;

a linear array of electrodes configured as a series of independently addressable nodes along a length of the cochlear implant which lies within the cochlea, each of the series of independently addressable nodes coupled to the auditory nerve stimulator circuitry for providing the auditory nerve stimulator electrical pulse profile to the cochlea; and

electroporation-driving circuitry, separate from the auditory nerve stimulator circuitry, coupled to a plurality of the independently addressable nodes of the linear array of electrodes of the cochlear implant for electroporation using one or more electrodes as anodes and one or more other electrodes interspersed along the linear electrode array as cathodes for electroporation current delivery such that the cochlear implant can generate an electroporation mode electrical pulse profile delivering high field strength current, and

provide the electroporation electrical pulse profiles to the cochlea via the plurality of addressable nodes to transfect cells along the length of the linear array.

2. The cochlear implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant comprises a lumen or channel for delivery of an agent to the cochlea.

3. The cochlear implant of claim 2 , wherein the agent comprises a nucleic acid module encoding a neurotropic factor for spiral ganglion cells.

4. The cochlear implant of claim 3 , wherein the neurotropic factor is selected from any one of Neurotrophin-3, Neurotrophin-3 precursor molecule, Neurotrophin 4/5, Nerve growth factor, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor and Activity dependent neurotrophic factor.

5. The cochlear implant of claim 1 , wherein groups of nodes of said cochlear implant are driven together to act as one electrode for electroporation.

6. The cochlear implant of claim 1 , wherein said electroporation mode electrical pulse profile is provided with a voltage of from 10 to 100 volts.

7. The cochlear implant of claim 1 , wherein polarity of individual nodes is altered over time during electroporation.

8. The cochlear implant of claim 1 , wherein the electroporation-driving circuitry is configured to deliver a square wave or ramped electroporation stimulus of from 100 μs to 500 ms duration, optionally 30 ms duration.

9. The cochlear implant of claim 1 , wherein the electroporation-driving circuitry is configured to deliver said electroporation stimulus in from 25 to 200 pulses, optionally, 50 to 100 pulses, with intervals between pulses of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 seconds.

10. An electroporation apparatus for transfecting cells of the cochlea with an agent, the apparatus comprising:

an electroporation electrode array shaped to model a cochlear implant prosthesis configured for temporary insertion into the cochlear for performing electroporation and subsequently removed, the electroporation electrode array being electrically conductive at its surface along one or more portions of the entire length of the electrode, and electrically non-conductive at its surface along other portions of its length to provide a linear array of two or more contiguous electrodes, without tissue in between, to be driven as anodes and cathodes for electroporation; and

external electroporation-driving circuitry connected to the electrodes of the electroporation electrode array and configured to provide electroporation electrical pulse profiles having a square wave or ramped electroporation stimulus with pulse width from 100 μs to 500 ms and a voltage of at least 10 volts via the electroporation electrode array, to drive the electrodes in the linear array as anodes and cathodes to generate an electric field adjacent the array to transfect cells in tissue adjacent the linear array.

11. The electroporation apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the non-conductive portions are insulated at the surface of the electrode with a coating.

12. The electroporation apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the electrode comprises a lumen or channel for delivery of an agent to the cochlea.

13. The electroporation apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the agent comprises a nucleic acid module encoding a neurotropic factor for spiral ganglion cells.

14. The electroporation apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the neurotropic factor is selected from any one of Neurotrophin-3, Neurotrophin-3 precursor molecule, Neurotrophin 4/5, Nerve growth factor, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor and Activity dependent neurotrophic factor.

15. The electroporation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the electroporation electrode array comprises a lumen or channel for delivery of an agent.