Patent Watch

This article briefly summarizes novel aspects of selected United States (U.S.) patents involving controlled release or delivery that were issued from January 1 to June 30, 2016. Patents are loosely categorized into selected subject areas, but most have potentially broader applicability. Greater detail on each can be found on the U.S. patent website at http://patft.uspto.gov/.

Consumer and Diversified Products

U.S. patent 9,371,454 – Coating compositions containing amorphous aluminum phosphate are described for controlled release of phosphate anions to inhibit corrosion.

U.S. patent 9,357,865 – Encapsulated aromatic food additives are released in response to energy emitted from a nearby activation source associated with an eating utensil or oral insert.

U.S. patent 9,327,322 – Variations in sonic energy and reactants are used to control generation of active species for surface preparation, cleaning, or etching.

U.S. patent 9,307,692, 9,307,693, and 9,313,946 – Organosilane-coated magnetic nanoparticles are covalently bound in coatings for triggered release through magnetic stimulation in agricultural applications.

U.S. patent 9,296,661 – A controlled-release fertilizer composition/system that promotes more efficacious application of fertilizer through the use of root attractant and a root-attractant design is described.

U.S. patent 9,271,495 – Cationic biocidal materials are ion-paired with anionic molecules to form biocidal salts with controlled solubility that maintains minimal efficacious dissolved biocide concentrations over extended time periods.

U.S. patent 9,265,277 – A controlled release beadlet consisting of multiple carotenoids selectively positioned in coating layers is described to deliver individual carotenoids at preselected times in the gastrointestinal tract in a sequence that minimizes competitive uptake and maximizes individual carotenoid delivery.

Geometric/Shape Systems

U.S. patent 9,375,428 – Controlled release oral pharmaceutical compositions comprised of a polyethylene oxide/opioid matrix core surrounded by a coating with at least one opening through the coating provides zero order release of at least 80% of the opioid. Release is controlled by both the matrix erosion rate and geometric shape of the dosage form.

U.S. patent 9,308,168 and 9,370,574 – A biocompatible/absorbable/biodegradable/fiber-reinforced composite ring structure is described for controlled release of various bioactive molecules at intravaginal, intraperitoneal, or subcutaneous locations.

Hydrogels

U.S. patent 9,370,485 – A system involving in situ formation of a hydrogel for controlled release of suspended therapeutic agent at sites in and around the eye is disclosed.

Implants

U.S. patent 9,308,162 – Biocompatible oligomer-polymer compositions for injection/in situ formation of controlled release implants in the absence of undesired solvents are disclosed.

Materials

U.S. patent 9,295,643 – A solvent-free process of obtaining an insoluble fiber rich fraction from Trigonella foenum-graceum seeds is disclosed. The product can be used as a binder, disintegrant, filler, dispersing agent, or coating agent in controlled release pharmaceutical, food, or cosmetic formulations.

Miscellaneous

U.S. patent 9,370,525 and 9,351,975 – Controlled-release tablet preparations of oxcarbazepine and derivatives employ solubility and/or release enhancing agents to tailor sigmoidal release profiles for once-per-day dosing.

U.S. patent 9,364,553 – Biomolecule-polymer conjugates are employed to extend the availability of cleavable therapeutic bioactive fragments.

U.S. patent 9,327,076 – An electronically and remotely controlled pill consisting of a drug reservoir and electronically controlled valve or hatch for controlled drug delivery to the gastrointestinal tract is disclosed.

U.S. patent 9,308,170 and 9,308,171 – A polyethylene oxide gelling agent is employed as an abuse deterrent in immediate release opioid formulations.

U.S. patent 9,307,906 – A computer-controlled pain research sensory testing system is disclosed for controlled delivery of pressure, auditory, olfactory, and other bioactive stimuli and collection of feedback in relation to the stimuli.

Pulsatile Systems

U.S. patent 9,308,177 – Erodable, diffusion, and osmotic controlled release mechanisms are employed to provide single-dose pulsatile release of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine hydrochloride in the treatment of angina and related disease conditions.

Release Triggers

U.S. patent 9,248,894 – A corrosion release triggering system consisting of electrode clips that corrode to a failure point at a rate proportional to applied power is described.

Structural Manipulations

U.S. patent 9,351,934 – A gelatin matrix is crosslinked via heat treatment and degraded by gamma-ray irradiation treatment to create a support for controlled delivery of bioactive molecules.

U.S. patent 9,345,723 – A crosslinked composition of chitosan and guanosine 5ʹ-diphosphate is disclosed as a tissue regeneration scaffold and controlled drug delivery structure.

U.S. patent 9,333,163 – Controlled mosaic patterns of functional drug-containing surface domains on nano- or micro-particles are described for controlled or sustained drug release.

U.S. patent 9,321,030 – Clay and organic polyanion film compositions built by layering strategies with incorporated cationic bioactive molecules such as antibiotics are described for controlled release of the bioactive.

U.S. patent 9,309,364 – Alkynyl aryl monomers with multiple terminal alkyne groups are coupled with iodo- or bromo-aryl monomers consisting of multiple halogen atoms in the presence of a palladium (0) catalyst to create a microporous polymer structure applicable to controlled release applications.

U.S. patent 9,289,437 – A system for covalently binding drug or drug-containing devices such as micelles or nanoparticles within a crosslinked polymer matrix is described for use in controlled drug delivery.

U.S. patent 9,260,803 – A method of electrospinning fibers with an inner bioactive containing core surrounded by a porous outer shell for controlled drug delivery is described.

U.S. patent 9,254,333 – Ultrasonication is used to rapidly encapsulate bioactive materials in silk fibroin hydrogel for controlled bioactive delivery.

U.S. patent 9,233,067 – A process to encapsulate bioactives in particles created from spider silk polypeptides for controlled delivery of pharmaceutical or cosmetic bioactives is described.