This disclosure features methods and compositions for treating inflammatory disorders or conditions that arise in a tissue originating from the endoderm using an immune modulator.

The present disclosure relates to methods for embedding drug molecules into medical catheters, tubes, and other medical devices. The catheter, tube, or other medical device is capable of releasing drugs for extended periods of time. Drugs can be loaded into the wall thereof through diffusion from a solution, e.g., loading solution. A counterintuitive approach of using undissolved drug particulates in the solution is employed in some embodiments. The drug in the wall of the device and in the solution (which when stored may be referred to as a storage solution) can be in dynamic equilibrium, yielding stable and easy-to-manufacture products. Heat can be used to significantly speed up the drug loading.

Implementations of a delivery device and method are disclosed. One implementation is a delivery device comprising a flow chamber with an inlet port for receiving a fluid flow in the flow chamber, and an outlet port for exiting a material from the flow chamber. The flow chamber may include a formation portion in which a suspension of the material is formed, and a collection portion that directs the suspension toward and/or into the outlet port. An amount of the material may collect in the collection portion adjacent the outlet port. The device may further comprise an insertion port for permitting insertion of the material in the flow chamber, and/or a pusher operable to move the amount of material through the outlet port. Related devices and methods also are disclosed.

Embodiments of the invention provide swallowable devices, preparations and methods for delivering drugs and other therapeutic agents within the GI tract. Particular embodiments provide a swallowable device such as a capsule for delivering drugs into the intestinal wall or other GI lumen. Embodiments also provide various drug preparations that are configured to be contained within the capsule, advanced from the capsule into the intestinal wall and degrade within the wall to release the drug to produce a therapeutic effect. The preparation can be coupled to a delivery mechanism having one or more balloons or other expandable devices which are expandable responsive to a condition in the small intestine or other GI lumen to advance the preparation out of the capsule into the intestinal wall. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for the delivery of drugs which are poorly absorbed, tolerated and/or degraded within the GI tract.

An implantable containment apparatus for receiving and retaining a biological moiety or a therapeutic device within a tissue bed is disclosed. The device includes a shaping element to maintain the device in a generally toroidal configuration and to return the apparatus to that configuration after deformation. The apparatus can be placed in a host tissue with minimal trauma to the patient. Methods for implanting and using the apparatus are also disclosed.

This invention relates to isolated polypeptides that are glucagon-receptor selective analogs and peptide derivatives thereof. These analogs are selective for human glucagon receptor with improved solubility, thermal stability, and physicochemical properties as compared to native endogenous glucagon. This invention also relates to methods of using such polypeptides in a variety of therapeutic and diagnostic indications, as well as methods of producing such polypeptides. These analogs are useful, alone or in combination with other therapeutic peptides, in methods of treating obesity, diabetes, metabolic disorders, and other disorders or disease.

Ingestible devices can directly deliver therapeutic agents to desired tissue(s) of the GI tract of a subject, such as the submucosa, the mucosa, and/or the mucus layer of the GI tract, and methods of using the same. The ingestible devices can deliver therapeutic agents in a safe, effective, and reliable manner. The disclosure also provides pharmaceutical compositions for use in methods of treating a disease or condition in a subject in need thereof.

Capsule devices, such as devices suitable for swallowing into a lumen of a body lumen, are generally provided. In some embodiments, the capsule device (100) comprises a tissue interfacing component (130) disposed relative to a capsule housing (110,120). The capsule device (100) may comprise a plurality of elongated spike members (182, 130) advanceable relative to the capsule housing (110,120) from a non-advanced first state to an advanced second state, wherein free ends of the elongated spike members (182, 130) engages tissue of a lumen wall of the body lumen. In some embodiments, the capsule device (100) comprises an actuator (155) coupled to the plurality of elongate spike members (182) and an energy source (140) coupled to the actuator (155) for moving the plurality of elongated spike members (182, 130) to the advanced second state. At least one of the plurality of spike members (182, 130) is configured as a deflectable spike member (182) that is deflected laterally as the deflectable spike member is advanced toward the second state so that the plurality of spike members (182, 130) act by spreading or pinching engagement on tissue between the plurality of spike members, thereby anchoring the capsule device (100) relative to the lumen wall.

A device for injecting a therapeutic agent into an ocular implant at least partially implanted in an eye including an injection lumen providing a pathway for injecting the therapeutic agent into the implant; an outlet lumen providing a pathway for pre-existing fluid in the ocular implant to exit the implant; and a collection chamber fluidly coupled to the outlet lumen that provides a first fluid outflow resistance and a second fluid outflow resistance. The first fluid outflow resistance is lower than a first resistance to outflow of the implant. The second fluid outflow resistance is greater than a force imparted onto the implant by intraocular pressure of the eye. Injection of therapeutic agent into the implant via the injection lumen causes the pre-existing fluid to exit the implant and enter the collection chamber via the outlet lumen and causes a second pre-existing fluid to displace from the collection chamber.

An implantable drug delivery device and method for delivering a drug to a living body. The device includes a housing having at least one opening, a reservoir within the housing adapted to contain a drug, a temporary seal closing the opening of the housing, and a heating element in thermal contact with the temporary seal. The heating element is adapted to generate heat in response to a magnetic field to melt the temporary seal and release a drug within the reservoir through the opening of the housing.