Implantable system with drug-eluting cells for on-demand local drug delivery

Abstract

An implantable system that includes a carrier and eukaryotic cells, which produce and release a therapeutic agent, and a stimulating element for stimulating the release of the therapeutic agent. The system can also include a sensing element for monitoring a physiological condition and triggering the stimulating element to stimulate the delivery device to release the therapeutic agent. Alternatively, the patient in which the system is implanted can activate the stimulating element to release the therapeutic agent.

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         41 . An implantable system comprising: 
 (a) a delivery device comprising a carrier and eukaryotic cells that produce at least one therapeutic agent; and    (b) a stimulating element for stimulating the release of the therapeutic agent from the delivery device; wherein the stimulating element can be activated by a patient in which it is implanted on demand.    
     
     
         42 . The implantable system of  claim 41  wherein the delivery device comprises: 
 (a) an intraluminal stent comprising: 
 (i) a lumen-wall contacting surface;  
 (ii) a lumen-exposed surface;  
 (iii) a first polymer composition covering at least a portion of the stent; and  
   (b) endothelial cells associated with the first polymer composition; wherein the endothelial cells produce at least one therapeutic agent.    
     
     
         43 . A method of local delivery of a therapeutic agent to a patient, the method comprising: 
 (a) providing an implantable system comprising: 
 (i) a delivery device comprising a carrier and eukaryotic cells that produce at least one therapeutic agent; and  
 (ii) a stimulating element for stimulating the release of the therapeutic agent from the delivery device; and  
   (b) implanting the implantable system into the body of a patient; wherein the therapeutic agent is released from the delivery device when the patient detects a change in a physiological condition and communicates with the electrical stimulating element to trigger the release of the therapeutic agent.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  wherein the delivery device comprises: 
 (a) an intraluminal stent comprising: 
 (i) a lumen-wall contacting surface;  
 (ii) a lumen-exposed surface;  
 (iii) a first polymer composition covering at least a portion of the stent; and  
   (b) endothelial cells associated with the first polymer composition; wherein the endothelial cells produce at least one therapeutic agent.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43  wherein the patient activates the stimulating element using radio frequency, infrared, or acoustic pulses.