IP Library Granted Patent US 12,544,568
Granted Patent B2
US 12,544,568 · App. 17/893,066 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Wireless patch system for transdermal, transmucosal and dental electrical drug delivery

Inventors: Chris S. Ivanoff (North Olmsted, OH); Jie Wu (Knoxville, TN); Timothy L. Hottel (Piperton, TN)
Assignee: Athena E. Ivanoff
A61N1/325A61C19/06A61C19/063A61C2204/005A61M37/00A61M2037/0007A61M2205/3592A61M2205/8243
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,544,568
App. No.
17/893,066
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems for delivering drug particles to a target site are disclosed. An example method for implementing the subject matter described herein includes applying a drug delivery patch to a target site. The drug delivery patch can include a substrate, an electrode integrated with the substrate, and a fluid in the substrate having drug particles suspended in the fluid. The method further includes transmitting a signal to the drug delivery patch to power the drug delivery patch by inductive coupling. Powering the drug delivery patch causes the electrode in the drug delivery patch to motivate the drug particles towards a target site of the drug delivery patch.

Claims (25)

1 . A method performed by a remote power unit for a drug delivery patch, the method comprising:

receiving an indication to start drug delivery; and

driving an antenna to emit a wireless signal to the drug delivery patch to power the drug delivery patch by inductive coupling, thereby causing an electrode in the drug delivery patch to motivate drug particles suspended in a fluid towards a target site of the drug delivery patch,

wherein causing the electrode in the drug delivery patch to motivate drug particles suspended in a fluid towards a target site of the drug delivery patch comprises supplying a plurality of waveforms to the electrode,

wherein the waveforms comprise a first waveform at a first frequency and a second waveform at a second frequency, and wherein the electrode is configured to generate, using the first and second waveforms, an electrical field that motivates the drug particles towards the target via dielectrophoresis (DEP), and

wherein the waveforms comprise a third waveform at a third frequency, and wherein the electrode is configured to generate, using the third waveform, an electrical field that motives the drug particles towards the target via alternating current (AC) electroosmosis.

2 . A method performed by a drug delivery patch, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal;

using the wireless signal to power, by inductive coupling, an electrode of the drug delivery patch; and

causing the electrode to motivate drug particles towards a target site of the drug delivery patch,

wherein causing the electrode in the drug delivery patch to motivate drug particles suspended in a fluid towards a target site of the drug delivery patch comprises supplying a plurality of waveforms to the electrode,

wherein the waveforms comprise a first waveform at a first frequency and a second waveform at a second frequency, and wherein the electrode is configured to generate, using the first and second waveforms, an electrical field that motivates the drug particles towards the target via dielectrophoresis (DEP), and

wherein the waveforms comprise a third waveform at a third frequency, and wherein the electrode is configured to generate, using the third waveform, an electrical field that motives the drug particles towards the target via alternating current (AC) electroosmosis.

3 . A method comprising:

applying a drug delivery patch to a target site; and

activating a remote power unit to drive an antenna to emit a wireless signal to the drug delivery patch to power the drug delivery patch by inductive coupling, thereby causing an electrode in the drug delivery patch to motivate drug particles suspended in a fluid in the drug delivery patch towards the target site,

wherein causing the electrode in the drug delivery patch to motivate drug particles suspended in a fluid towards a target site of the drug delivery patch comprises supplying a plurality of waveforms to the electrode,

wherein the waveforms comprise a first waveform at a first frequency and a second waveform at a second frequency, and wherein the electrode is configured to generate, using the first and second waveforms, an electrical field that motivates the drug particles towards the target via dielectrophoresis (DEP), and

wherein the waveforms comprise a third waveform at a third frequency, and wherein the electrode is configured to generate, using the third waveform, an electrical field that motives the drug particles towards the target via alternating current (AC) electroosmosis.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the target site comprises skin, mucous membrane, or teeth.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the electrode comprises an interdigitated array electrode (IDE) or a portion of an IDE.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the drug delivery patch comprises one or more receiving coils electrically coupled to the electrode, and wherein the antenna of the remote power unit comprises a transmitting coil.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the drug delivery patch comprises a plurality of resistor-capacitor (RC) envelope detectors coupled to the receiving coils and configured to demodulate an output from the receiving coils to supply the plurality of waveforms to the electrode.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the waveforms are biphasic waveforms for charge balance.

9 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the drug particles comprise antibiotics, anesthetics, analgesics and/or anti-inflammatory drug particles.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2022
From: IVANOFF, CHRIS S.; WU, JIE; HOTTEL, TIMOTHY L.
To: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 060862/0584 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2022
From: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
To: IVANOFF, CHRIS S.; HOTTEL, TIMOTHY; WU, JIE
Reel/Frame 060862/0680 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2022
From: IVANOFF, CHRIS S.; WU, JIE; HOTTEL, TIMOTHY L.
To: BASS, PETER
Reel/Frame 060862/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2022
From: BASS, PETER
To: IVANOFF, ATHENA E.
Reel/Frame 060862/0796 →
Continuity (3)
Division 15565534
Provisional Application 62158923 · May 8, 2015
Related Publication 20230173267A1 · Jun 8, 2023
References Cited (97)
US 3207161A · Dietz · 1965 [cited by applicant]
US 4629424A · Lauks et al. · 1986 [cited by applicant]
US 4977895A · Tannenbaum · 1990 [cited by examiner]
US 5306235A · Haynes · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5551953A · Lattin et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 6382979B2 · Lindquist · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6749427B1 · Bretscher et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 8956157B2 · Rutberg et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9358380B2 · Ivanhoff et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 11420047B2 · Ivanoff et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20010038998A1 · Lindquist · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 20050273046A1 · Kwiatkowski · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20070104023A1 · Hood et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070106271A1 · Hood · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070106277A1 · Hood et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080114282A1 · Carter · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20080146986A1 · Riga · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20080280260A1 · Belikov et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090005727A1 · Hood et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090117513A1 · Nemeh et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100030185A1 · Hood et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100137780A1 · Singh et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20120156648A1 · Kaufman et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120295218A1 · Moll · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120315596A1 · Gan et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130215979A1 · Yakovlev et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140093836A1 · Wolpo · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140162206A1 · Ivanoff et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150072300A1 · Wolpo · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20180110975A1 · Ivanoff et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016182919A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
Advisory Action and Interview Summary corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Aug. 20, 2021. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability corresponding to International Application No. PCT/US2016/031230 dated Nov. 14, 2017. [cited by applicant]
Interview Summary corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Mar. 9, 2022. [cited by applicant]
Notification Concerning Availability of the Publication of the International Application corresponding to International application No. PCT/US2016/031230 dated Nov. 17, 2016. [cited by applicant]
Notification Concerning Transmittal of Copy of International Preliminary Report on Patentability corresponding to International Application No. PCT/US2016/031230 dated Nov. 23, 2017. [cited by applicant]
Notification of Transmittal of the International Search Report and the Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, or the Declaration corresponding to International application No. PCT/US2016/031230 dated … [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance and Interview Summary corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Apr. 14, 2022. [cited by applicant]
Office Action (Restriction Requirement) corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Mar. 5, 2019. [cited by applicant]
Office Action corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Jul. 5, 2019. [cited by applicant]
Office Action corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Feb. 4, 2020. [cited by applicant]
Burke, “Nanodielectrophoresis: Electronic nanotweezers,” Nalwa, H.S. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, American Scientific: Stevenson Ranch, California, USA. vol. 5, 19 pages (2003). [cited by applicant]
Castellanos et al., “Electrohydrodynamics and dielectrophoresis in microsystems: Scaling laws,” J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. vol. 36, No. 20 pp. 2584-2597(2003). [cited by applicant]
Chaurey et al.,“Floating-electrode enhanced constriction dielectrophoresis for biomolecular trapping in physiological media of high conductivity,” Biomicrofluidics. vol. 6, No. 1 p. 012806 (2012). [cited by applicant]
Chaurey et al., “Scaling down constriction-based (electrodeless) dielectrophoresis devicesfor trapping nanoscale bioparticles in physiological media of high-conductivity,” Electrophoresis vol. 34, No. 7 pp. 1097-1104 (2… [cited by applicant]
Erickson et al., “Analysis of alternating current electroosmotic flows in a rectangular microchannel,” Langmuir vol. 19 pp. 5421-5430 (2003). [cited by applicant]
Gascoyne et al., “Particle Separation by Dielectrophoresis,” Electrophoresis vol. 23 pp. 1973-1983 (2002). [cited by applicant]
Green, N.G., and Morgan, H., “Dielectrophoretic separation of nano-particles,” J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. vol. 30, No. 11 pp. L41-L44 (1997). [cited by applicant]
Green, N.G., and Morgan, H., “Separation of submicrometre particles using a combination of dielectrophoretic and electrohydrodynamic forces,” J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. vol. 31 pp. L25-30 (1998). [cited by applicant]
Green et al., “Fluid flow induced by nonuniform ac electric fields in electrolytes on microelectrodes. I. Experimental measurements,” Phys. Rev. E. vol. 61, No. 4 pp. 4011-4018 (2000). [cited by applicant]
Gonzalez et al., “Fluid flow induced by non-uniform ac electric fields in electrolytes on microelectrodes. II. A linear double-layer analysis.” Phys. Rev. E. vol. 61, No. 4, pp. 4019-4028 (2000). [cited by applicant]
Green et al., “Fluid flow induced by nonuniform ac electric fields in electrolytes on microelectrodes. III. Observation of streamlines and numerical simulation.” Phys. Rev. E vol. 66, No. 2:026305 (2002). [cited by applicant]
Hasan, R.S.M., and Khurma, A., “AC dielectrophoresis using elliptic electrode geometry,” Journal of Sensors. Article ID 204767 (8 pages) (2011). [cited by applicant]
Holmes et al., “Cell positioning and sorting using dielectrophoresis,” European Cells and Materials vol. 4, No. 2 pp. 120-122 (2002). [cited by applicant]
Hughes, et al., “Dielectrophoretic trapping of single sub-micrometre scale bioparticles,” J. Phys. D, vol. 31 pp. 2205-2210 (1998). [cited by applicant]
Islam et al., “Enhancing microcantilever capability with integrated AC electroosmosis trapping,” Microfluid. Nanofluid. vol. 3, No. 3 pp. 269-375 (2007). [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al. “L-143 Dielectrophoretic Drug Transport into Teeth,” ITP 2012 Book of Abstracts, 19th International Symposium, Exhibit & Workshops on Electro- and Liquid, Phase-separation Technique (all Lecture and Poste… [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al., “Breaking the fluoride diffusion barrier with combined dielectrophoresis and AC electroosmosis,” American Journal of Dentistry. vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 228-236 (2013). [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff, “Dielectrophoretic Transport Increases Depth of Penetration of Fluoride into Enamel,” In Effectvie Community Preventitive Programs: American Public Health Association 140th Annual Meeting & Expo, San Francisco,… [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al., “Dielectrophoresis: A model to transport drugs directly into teeth,” Electrophoresis. vol. 33, No. 8 pp. 1311-1321 (2012). [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al., “Dielectrophoresis enhances the whitening effect of carbamide peroxide on enamel,” Am. J. Dent. vol. 24 pp. 259-263 (2011). [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al., “Dielectrophoretic transport of fluoride into enamel,” Am. J. Dent. vol. 24, No. 6 pp. 341-345 (2011). [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al. “Enhanced penetration of fluoride particles into bovine enamel by combining dielectrophoresis with AC electroosmosis” Electrophoresis, vol. 34 (20-21 pp. 2945-2955 (2013); DOI: 10.1002/elps.201300206. [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al., “Fluoride uptake by human tooth enamel: Topical application versus combined dielectrophoresis and AC electroosmosis,” Am. J. Dent. vol. 26(3), 166-172 (13 pages) (2013). [cited by applicant]
Ivanoff et al., “Microhardness recovery of demineralized enamel after treatment with fluoride gel or CPP-ACP paste applied topically or with dielectrophoresis,” Am. J. Dent. vol. 25, No. 2 pp. 109- 113 (2012). [cited by applicant]
Iverson et al., “Recent advances in microscale pumping technologies: a review and evaluation,” International Journal of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics vol. 5, Issue 2 pp. 145-174 (2008). [cited by applicant]
Khoshmanesh et al., “Dielectrophoretic platforms for bio-microfluidic systems,” Biosens. Bioelectron. vol. 26, No. 5 pp. 1800-1814 (2011). [cited by applicant]
Lian, M., and Wu, J., “Ultrafast micropumping by biased alternating current electrokinetics,” Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 94 p. 064101 (2009). [cited by applicant]
Liao et al., Nano-constriction device for rapid protein preconcentration in physiological media through a balance of electrokinetic forces Electrophoresis. vol. 33 pp. 1958-1966 (2012). [cited by applicant]
Liu et al., “Microfluidic Pumping based on Traveling-Wave Dielectrophoresis,” Nanoscale and Microscale Thermophysical Engineering. vol. 13 pp. 109-133 (2009). [cited by applicant]
Luo et al., “Nanoelectrode arrays for on-chip manipulation of biomolecules in aqueous solutions,” Microelectronic Engineering. vol. 83 pp. 1634-1637 (2006). [cited by applicant]
Melvin et al., “On-chip collection of particles and cells by AC electroosmotic pumping and dielectrophoresis using asymmetric electrodes,” Biomicrofluidics. vol. 5 p. 034113 (2011). [cited by applicant]
Morgan et al., “Separation of submicron bioparticles by dielectrophoresis,” Biophys. J. vol. 77, No. 1 pp. 516-525 (1999). [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 14/092,269 dated Jan. 26, 2016. [cited by applicant]
Office Action corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 14/092,269 dated Nov. 28, 2014. [cited by applicant]
Office Action corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 14/092,269 dated Jul. 6, 2015. [cited by applicant]
Office Action corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Dec. 28, 2020. [cited by applicant]
Office Action corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated May 10, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Office Action corresponding to U.S. Appl. No. 15/565,534 dated Oct. 7, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Pethig, “Review article-dielectrophoresis: status of the theory, technology, and applications,” Biomicrofluidics. vol. 4, No. 2 pp. 1-35 (2010). [cited by applicant]
Pohl, “The motion and precipitation of suspensoids in divergent electric fields,” J. Appl. Phys. vol. 22 pp. 869-871 (1951). [cited by applicant]
Pohl., “Some effects of nonuniform fields on dielectrics,” J. Appl. Phys., vol. 29, No. 8 pp. 1182-1188 (1958). [cited by applicant]
Ramos et al., “Pumping of liquids with ac voltages applied to asymmetric pairs of microelectrodes,” Phys. Rev. E. vol. 67 p. 056302 (2003). [cited by applicant]
Ramos et al., “AC electric-field-induced fluid flow in microelectrodes,” J. Colloid Interface Sci. vol. 217 pp. 420-422 (1999). [cited by applicant]
Ramos et al., “AC electrokinetics: a review of forces in microelectrode structures,” J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. vol. 31 pp. 2338-2353 (1998). [cited by applicant]
Ramos et al., “A linear analysis of the effect of Faradaic currents on travelling-wave electroosmosis,” J. Colloid Inderface Sci. vol. 309, No. 2 pp. 323-331 (2007). [cited by applicant]
Singal et al., “A novel valveless micropump with electrohydrodynamic enhancement for high heat flux cooling,” IEEE Trans. Advanced Packaging vol. 28 pp. 216-230 (2005). [cited by applicant]
Suehiro et al., “The dielectrophoretic movement and positioning of a biological cell using three-dimensional grid electrode system,” J. Physics D vol. 31 pp. 3298-3305 (1998). [cited by applicant]
Urbanski et al., “Fast ac electro-osmotic micropumps with nonplanar electrodes,” Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 89, No. 14:143508 (2006). [cited by applicant]
Wong et al., “Electrokinetic bioprocessor for concentrating cells and molecules,” Anal. Chem. vol. 76, No. 23 pp. 6908-6914 (2004). [cited by applicant]
Wu, J., and Chang, H.C., “Asymmetrically biased AC electrochemical micropump,” AlChE Annual Meeting. Austin, Texas (Nov. 7-12, 2004). [cited by applicant]
Wu et al., “Long-range AC electrokinetic trapping and detection of bioparticles,” Industr. Eng. Chem. Research. vol. 44, No. 8 pp. 2815-2822 (2005). [cited by applicant]
Wu, J., “Biased ac electro-osmosis for on chip bioparticle processing,” IEEE Trans. Nanotechnol. vol. 5, No. 2 pp. 84-88 (2006). [cited by applicant]
Wu, J., “Interactions of electrical fields with fluids: laboratory-on-chip applications,” IET Nanobiotechnol. vol. 2, No. 1 pp. 14-27 (2008). [cited by applicant]
Wu et al., “Transport of particles and microorganisms in microfluidicchannels using rectified ac electro-osmotic flow,” Biomicrofluidics, vol. 5:013407 (2011). [cited by applicant]
Zeng et al., “Fabrication and characterization of electroosmotic micropumps,” Sensor and Actuator B vol. 79 pp. 107-114 (2001). [cited by applicant]
Zhang et al., “Simulation of ion generation and breakdown in atmospheric air,” J. Applied Physics vol. 96 pp. 6066-6072 (2004). [cited by applicant]