A novel remote controlled capsule for site-specific drug delivery in human GI tract.

Remote controlled capsule (RCC) has been extensively used in the field of site-specific drug delivery. It is a potent tool to study the regional drug absorption of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that provides pharmaceutical scientists with significant pharmacokinetics data for oral drug formulation development. In present investigations, a patented novel RCC has been devised based on micro-electronic mechanical system (MEMS) technology. Micro-thrusters were for the first time exploited as drug release actuators of RCCs. As the micro-thruster is ignited by a radio frequency (RF) signal, the thrust force generated by the propellants pushes the piston forward and leads to a rapid and complete expulsion of therapeutic agents from the capsule. The micro-thruster merely consumes 120 mW for ignition and the duration time of drug release is decreased to less than 1 s. The feasibility of the novel RCC was evaluated through animal experiments in beagles using aminophylline as the model drug. The novel RCC developed is a promising alternative for site-specific drug delivery in human GI tract.

A Novel Remote Controlled Capsule for Human Drug Absorption studies.

Remote Controlled Capsule (RCC) is a new method to realize non-invasive drug delivery to the selected sites of human gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. With RCC, Human Drug Absorption (HDA) studies are taken easily to obtain data on the intestinal absorption of a drug in humans. In this paper, a new RCC system has been designed based on MEMS technology to provide for the delivery of a wide range of different drug formulations, for example, solution, powder and granulate, into any region of the gut. A magnetic Marker Monitoring (MMM) system was developed to monitor the location of the capsule inside the gut. A novel method to indicating the drug release, called as Indicating System based on Abrupt Movement of Marker (ISAMM), was proposed in this study. High reliability of the RCC system has been proved by animal experiments.

A 3-d microelectrodes array microchip applied to cell fusion.

A cell-to-cell fusion technique using 3-D microelectrodes array microchip has been developed. It permits cell-to-cell fusion operation in large amount simultaneously. And it needs much lower voltage (alternating voltage and pulse voltage) than the conventional cell fusion techniques. An array of 16 (4×4) microelectrodes can be fabricated on a 1×1cm silicon wafer. And an experimental system, including circuit control unit, temperature control unit,etc.,has been developed to fuse cells. The alternating voltage is applied to the electrodes makes cells in alignment and in pairs firstly. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) force is used to form cell pairs in the microchip and makes cell pairs contact each other tightly. And then fusion of the cell pairs is induced by electric pulse is applied between electrodes. Microelectrodes of 8μm carbon-fiber are used to test the feasibility of the proposal experimental system, Human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells are used as specimens. It's observed that SMMC-7721 cells formed cell pairs and fused successfully.