This technology is an array of micro-needles that create small perforations in the round window membrane (RWM) in order to facilitate the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents into the inner ear.
Treatment for auditory disorders, including Meniere’s disease and tinnitus, often necessitate the delivery of therapeutic agents into the cochlea of the inner ear. The current method of intracochlear delivery relies on intratympanic injection into the middle ear for inner ear absorption. This method has several drawbacks including variable efficacy, limited therapeutic cargo that can be delivered, and difficulty with precise dosing and timing, resulting in poor patient outcomes. There remains a need for a safe, effective method of drug delivery into the inner ear.
This tool is an array of micro-needles that safely create small perforations in the round window membrane (RWM), a structure that partitions the middle ear from the inner ear, in order to improve intracochlear drug delivery. The disposable silicon microneedles, approximately 20 microns in diameter, are of varying length and may be either solid or hollow. This design facilitates controlled intracochlear drug delivery through two different routes: i) temporary micro-perforations on the RWM that improve diffusion, and ii) direct injection into the cochlea. Importantly, this tool minimizes tissue damage by only permitting perforations of the RWM that self-heal and thereby avoids traumatic disruption of the cochlea.
This technology has undergone clinical testing in human patients.
Anil Lalwani, M.D. Jeffrey Kysar, Ph.D.
IR CU13136
Licensing Contact: Sara Gusik