Iontophoresis apparatus and methods of producing same

Claim 1

An improved electrode for an iontophoresis device, the electrode comprising: a source of drug to be iontophoretically delivered; support means for said drug source; at least one electrochemically active component in electrical connection to said drug source which, during iontophoretic drug delivery, hydrolyzes water to a minimal extent; wherein said electrically active component is a current distribution member; and wherein the current distribution member comprises an intercalation compound and the balancing ion of the drug in the drug source is an alkali metal ion.

Claim 11

A method for making an improved iontophoretic drug delivery device of the type comprising an anode, a cathode, a source of electrical energy in electrical connection with said anode and cathode at least one of said anode or said cathode having in electrical association therewith a reservoir containing therein a supply of at least one species which is to be iontophoretically delivered, the method comprising the steps of: constructing at least one electrode of the device to include a component which is electrochemically active during iontophoretic drug delivery to produce first species which is capable of interacting with a second species intentionally employed in or generated during operation of the device to produce a product which is not sufficiently influenced by electrical fields to be iontophoretically introduced; providing the aforementioned second species or a precursor thereto to the iontophoretic drug delivery device; and wherein said anode includes a current distribution member comprising silver, and the medicament comprises propranolol present in the form of a chloride salt.

Claim 12

A method for making an improved iontophoretic drug delivery device of the type comprising an anode, a cathode, a source of electrical energy in electrical connection with said anode and cathode at least one of said anode or said cathode having in electrical association therewith a reservoir containing therein a supply of at least one species which is to be iontophoretically delivered, the method comprising the steps of: constructing at least one electrode of the device to include a component which is electrochemically active during iontophoretic drug delivery to produce first species which is capable of interacting with a second species intentionally employed in or generated during operation of the device to produce a product which is not sufficiently influenced by electrical fields to be iontophoretically introduced; providing the aforementioned second species or a precursor thereto to the iontophoretic drug delivery device; and wherein said anode includes a current distribution member comprising silver, and the medicament comprises propranolol present in the form of a chloride salt.

Claim 13

A method for making an improved iontophoretic drug delivery device of the type comprising an anode, a cathode, a source of electrical energy in electrical connection with said anode and cathode, at least one of said anode or said cathode having an electrical association therewith a reservoir containing therein a supply of at least one species which is to be iontophoretically delivered, the method comprising the steps of: constructing at least one electrode of the device to include a component which is electrochemically active during iontophoretic drug delivery to produce a first species which is capable of interacting with a second species intentionally employed in or generated during operation of the device to produce a product which is not sufficiently influenced by electrical fields to be iontophoretically introduced; providing the aforementioned second species or a precursor thereto to the iontophoretic drug delivery device; and wherein the cathode is constructed from materials selected from the group consisting of lead, mercury or mercury/cadmium amalgams.

Claim 14

A method for making an improved iontophoretic drug delivery device of the type comprising an anode, a cathode, a source of electrical energy in electrical connection with said anode and cathode, at least one of said anode or said cathode having an electrical association therewith a reservoir containing therein a supply of at least one species which is to be iontophoretically delivered, the method comprising the steps of: constructing at least one electrode of the device to include a component which is electrochemically active during iontophoretic drug delivery to produce a first species which is capable of interacting with a second species intentionally employed in or generated during operation of the device to produce a product which is not sufficiently influenced by electrical fields to be iontophoretically introduced; providing the aforementioned second species or a precursor thereto to the iontophoretic drug delivery device; and wherein the cathode is constructed from materials selected from the group consisting of lead, mercury or mercury/cadmium amalgams.

Claim 15

A method for making an improved iontophoretic drug delivery device of the type comprising an anode, a cathode, a source of electrical energy in electrical connection with said anode and cathode, at least one of said anode or said cathode having in electrical association therewith a reservoir containing therein a supply of at least one species which is to be iontophoretically delivered, the method comprising the steps of: constructing at least one electrode of the device to include a component which is electrochemically active during iontophoretic drug delivery to produce a first species which is capable of interacting with a second species intentionally employed in or generated during operation of the device to produce a product which is not sufficiently influenced by electrical fields to be iontophoretically introduced; providing the aforementioned second species or a precursor thereto to the iontophoretic drug delivery device; and wherein the cathode is constructed from an intercalation compound selected from the group consisting of sodium tungstate, sodium vanadate (NaV 6 O 13 ) or graphite.

Claim 16

A method for making an improved iontophoretic drug delivery device of the type comprising an anode, a cathode, a source of electrical energy in electrical connection with said anode and cathode, at least one of said anode or said cathode having in electrical association therewith a reservoir containing therein a supply of at least one species which is to be iontophoretically delivered, the method comprising the steps of: constructing at least one electrode of the device to include a component which is electrochemically active during iontophoretic drug delivery to produce a first species which is capable of interacting with a second species intentionally employed in or generated during operation of the device to produce a product which is not sufficiently influenced by electrical fields to be iontophoretically introduced; providing the aforementioned second species or a precursor thereto to the iontophoretic drug delivery device; and wherein the cathode is constructed from an intercalation compound selected from the group consisting of sodium tungstate, sodium vanadate (NaV 6 O 13 ) or graphite.