A subject is inoculated from a disease by exposing a biopsy of a tumor or other abnormal growth to a nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF). A sufficient treatment can be confirmed by detecting calreticulin on the tumor cell membranes, which indicates apoptosis occurring in the tumor cells. Treated tumor cells from the biopsy are then reintroduced into the subject. The calreticulin-exhibiting tumor cells activate the subject's immune system against the tumor, and any other like tumors in the body, and effectively vaccinates the subject against the disease. The treatment can be combined with CD47-blocking antibodies, doxorubicin, CTLA-4-blocking antibodies, and/or PD-1-blocking antibodies. The immune response may be measured at a later time. Specific electrical characteristics of the nsPEF treatments can be based on the type and/or strength of the tumor.

The invention is within the general field of electroporation. In particular, the invention is within the general field of endoscopic electroporation and relates to a bipolar electrode suitable for endoscopic use, i.e. an electrode assembly that can be inserted in a resectoscope and deployed so as to treat e.g. internal organs tumors, such as bladder, rectum or esophagus.

Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) treatments of a tumor are adjusted based on size and type of a tumor to stimulate an immune response against the tumor and other tumors in a subject. Calreticulin expression on tumor cells can be detected to confirm treatment. An immune response biomarker can be measured, and further nsPEF treatments can be performed if needed to stimulate or further stimulate the immune response. Cancers that have metastasized may be treated by directly treating a tumor that is most accessible. The treatment can be combined with CD47-blocking antibodies, doxorubicin, CTLA-4-blocking antibodies, and/or PD-1-blocking antibodies. Electrical characteristics of nsPEF treatments can be based on the size, type, and/or strength of tumors and/or a quantity of tumors in the subject.

Several embodiments disclosed herein relate to the delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids to an ocular tissue in order to provide a therapeutic effect to reduce symptoms of or otherwise alleviate an ocular disorder. In particular embodiments, plasmid DNA is delivered to the cells of the trabecular meshwork in order to ameliorate increasing intraocular pressure. Devices and systems to accomplish this delivery are also disclosed.

The disclosure is directed to a device for electroporating and delivering one or more antigens and a method of electroporating and delivering one or more antigens to cells of epidermal tissues using the device. The device comprises a housing, a plurality of electrode arrays projecting from the housing, each electrode array including at least one electrode, a pulse generator electrically coupled to the electrodes, a programmable microcontroller electrically coupled to the pulse generator, and an electrical power source coupled to the pulse generator and the microcontroller. The electrode arrays define spatially separate sites.

Devices, systems, kits and methods for increasing the skin's permeability controlled by measured skin electrical parameter are described herein. They may be used for transdermal drug delivery and/or analyte extraction or measurement. The controlled abrasion device contains (i) a hand piece, (ii) an abrasive tip, (iii) a feedback control mechanism, (iv) two or more electrodes, and (v) an electrical motor. The feedback control mechanism may be an internal feedback control mechanism or an external feedback control. The kit contains the controlled abrasion-device, one or more abrasive tips, optionally with a wetting fluid. The method for increasing the skin's permeability requires applying the controlled abrasion device to a portion of the skin's surface for a short period of time, until the desired level of permeability is reached. Then the abrasion device is removed, and a drug delivery composition or device or an analyte sensor is applied to the treated site.

A dynamic electroporation appliance comprises an oblong isolating applicator (1) with a rounded front part (4) and with two annular electrodes (3) arranged on its front surface at the sides of an intermediate opening (2). The intermediate opening it linked to at least one duct (9) associated with a central seat for a syringe (6) for dispensing pharmacological or aesthetic products or active ingredients. The electrodes (3) are energizable to produce a dynamic electroporation effect on the treated surface.

An improved electroporation probe that delivers both electroporation and medicinal solution injection via a single instrument, and which allows altering of the applied electric field based on requirements of the target, is disclosed. A proximal end of a hollow tubular probe is connected to an injector for injecting medications, cells, proteins or biologics in solution into the probe, and which in turn are ejected through unsealed perforations on a perforated portion of the probe towards its distal end. A movable sleeve is slidable over the perforated portion of the probe in order to seal or unseal its perforations. A tapered metallic tip at the distal end of the probe is connected to an anode terminal of a battery, the distal end of the movable sleeve is connected to a cathode terminal of the battery. Separation between the tip and the distal end of the movable sleeve is varied to generate desired strength of the electric field needed for electroporation of target cells, or to selectively unseal more or fewer perforations for medicinal solution delivery at the target.

Embodiments herein relate to medical devices including electric field shaping leads and methods for using the same to treat cancerous tumors within a bodily tissue. In an embodiment, an implantable lead for a cancer treatment system is disclosed. The lead can include a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end, where the lead body can define a lumen. The lead can also include a paddle disposed at the distal end of the lead body, the paddle having a width that is greater than a width of the lead body. The paddle can include one or more electrodes disposed on the paddle and one or more electrical conductors disposed within the lumen of the lead body to provide electrical communication between the one or more electrodes and the proximal end of the lead body. Other embodiments are also included herein.

An electroporation device with a needle array removably attached thereto, the needle array having a body, a shroud movable with respect to the body between a rest position and one or more actuated positions, and an auto-lock assembly. Where the auto-lock assembly is adjustable between a locked configuration, where the shroud is not movable with respect to the body, and an unlocked configuration, where the shroud is movable with respect to the body, and where biasing the shroud from the rest position to the one or more actuated positions and back to the rest position adjusts the auto-lock from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration.