Development of an Implantable On-Demand Drug Delivery Device for Behavioral Studies in Small Animals

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant The Specific Aim of this Phase I project is to prove the feasibility of using SFC Fluidicsandapos patented microfluidic pumping technology to develop the RatPump a low cost disposable battery operated implantable on demand tether free drug delivery system The RatPump will allow real time wirelessly controlled delivery of drugs and therapeutics to animals for addiction and behavior research models This implantable pumping system will have substantially improved operational capacities at a much lower cost as compared to current tethered and non tethered drug delivery systems During the last three months of Phase I the RatPump will be implanted and tested in rats at the McLean Psychiatric Hospital at Harvard University The following Phase I Tasks are designed to prove feasibility of this Specific Aim Task Integration of microfluidic components into an implantable on demand drug delivery device SFC Fluidics Months Task Demonstration of controlled fluid movement ex vivo from the drug delivery system using specified test protocol SFC Fluidics Months Task Demonstration of use of implanted RatPump showing ability to deliver drugs on demand and remotely Harvard McLean Medical School Months Phase II will focus on modifying the Phase I RatPump prototype based on the results of Phase I testing and iterative advanced development By the end of Phase II SFC Fluidics will have a final design RatPump system that will deliver on demand doses of drugs and therapeutics with an accuracy of The focus of our subcontractor in Phase II will be to improve his drug addiction models as enabled by the RatPump and to provide those data in publications scientific conferences and collaborations in order to facilitate the use of the RatPump toward the advancement of drug addiction models in other laboratories PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE A low cost disposable quick response programmable or response dependent micropumping system like RatPumpTM would have widespread use in behavioral pharmacology and veterinary medicine This drug delivery device concept targets preclinical animal model research as well as veterinary therapy as market applications With additional funding this system could be adapted for implantable drug delivery needs in humans as well