Non-invasive Drug Transport Therapy

   Iontophoresis Electrode System is intended for the administration of soluble salts into the body for therapeutic purposes and as an alternative to hypodermic injections.

    Treatment consists of applying a low-intensity electrical current to the skin, which then gently carries the drug through the skin. This technology employs the use of two electrodes, with one immersed in a solution containing the drug compound, and the other immersed in a solution containing salt.

Application of a low potential current across the electrodes results in the movement of the ionized drug away from the electrode, carrying the drug through the skin layers and into the patient’s muscle tissue.

     Iontophoretic drug delivery is gaining popularity it has been described as a convenient, safe, noninvasive route for the administration of many compounds. As a result, the industry has seen a surge in the development of iontophoresis as a drug delivery device in novel treatments. Recent developments of several FDA-approved and marketed treatments include Dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug, routinely used in physical therapy settings.

This article was published in Drug Discovery & Development magazine: Vol. 11, No. 3, March, 2008, pp. 36-39.