Abstract: An electroporating apparatus includes an electroporation electrode device that has a substrate, and an electrode unit provided on the substrate. The electrode unit includes a plurality of positive and negative electrode pads each of which has a skin contact surface area with a width ranging from 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm. Each positive electrode pad is spaced apart from the adjacent negative electrode pad by an electrode spacing of ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The positive and negative electrode pads are needleless. With a decrease in electrode spacing and electrode width, painless electroporation can be achieved when electric pulses of 0.2 ms or less and 150 V or less are applied is to a skin at 10 Hz or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liposomal composition for targeted delivery of drugs. The composition comprises poloxamer molecules and liposomes encapsulating one or more delivery agents. At above the critical micellar temperature of the poloxamer, a fraction of the poloxamer molecules form micelles and another fraction becomes incorporated into the liposome surface, thereby inhibiting their adhesion to cells. At a temperature below the critical micellar temperature, the poloxamer molecules dissociate into monomers allowing the liposomes to adhere to adjacent cells and effecting retention of the liposomes in the surrounding tissue. A method is provided for delivery of agents to target site comprising administering the composition to an individual and cooling the target site to cause retention of the liposomes at or near the target site.

Abstract: A painless drug delivery electrode device includes a substrate having top and bottom sides, and an electrode unit provided on the top side of the substrate and adapted to convey pulse signals to a skin. The electrode unit includes a plurality of positive and negative electrode pads which are adapted to contact the skin and which are arranged in rows. Each of the positive and negative electrode pads has a skin contact surface area smaller than 1 sq. mm. Each of the positive electrode pads is spaced apart from an adjacent one of the negative electrodes by a distance ranging from 0.2-1 mm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liposomal composition for targeted delivery of drugs. The composition comprises large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) encapsulating poloxamers and one or more delivery agents. The composition and concentration of the poloxamer inside the LUVs is such that upon heating to temperatures above the critical micellar temperature of the poloxamer, the LUVs becomes leaky causing release of the encapsulated drug. The present invention also provides a method for delivery of agents to targeted sites and a method for preparing the LUVs suitable for use according to the method described herein.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for transdermal extraction and measurement of analytes in an individual's body comprising the steps of permeabilizing the skin by electroporation in the presence of liposomes comprising negatively charged lipids, and extracting the extracellular fluid through the permeabilized skin by using suction. Analytes may be quantitated in the extracted extracellular fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for transdermal delivery of molecules. The method comprises the application of electrical pulses concurrently or sequentially with application of the molecules and a lipid composition comprising negatively charged liposomal compositions. The liposomal components are used to enhance permeability of the target site for delivery of the molecule.

Abstract: A composition comprising an immobilized biological membrane is provided. The functional immobilized biological membrane consists of a support structure, a metal layered onto a surface of the support structure, an alkanethiol monolayer assembled onto the metal, and a biological membrane deposited on the alkanethiol monolayer. Also provided is a method of producing the immobilized biological membrane, wherein the method involves contacting an alkanethiol with a metal surface of a support structure in forming an alkanethiol monolayer assembled onto the metal, and depositing a biological membrane onto the alkanethiol monolayer such that the biological membrane becomes associated with the alkanethiol monolayer. Uses of the biological membrane include as a sensing indicator in a biosensor, as an adsorbent in a chromatography system, and as a coating for medical devices.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for use in electroloading procedures to increase the transfection and fusion efficiency compared to the methods now used in the art. The compositions comprise a two-phase polymer system containing two water soluble polymers which, when mixed, result in target cells and biological material being encapsulated into one of the polymer phases in a concentrated form. The methods of the present invention for electroloading biological material into target cells comprises mixing the biological material into one of the phases of the two-phase polymer system; mixing the target cells into either of the phases of the two-phase polymer system; mixing the phases together to form an emulsion; and exposing the emulsion to a pulsing electric field in an electroloading process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrofusing a cell pellet comprising a plurality of tiers of cells of two different cell types to be fused which results in the formation of hybrid cells with high efficiency and high viability. The method comprises subjecting the cell pellet, and a pulse medium in contact with the cell pellet, with multiple pulses of voltage. A method and apparatus for electrofusing a cell-vesicle pellet comprising a plurality of tiers of a cell type and of membrane vesicles, and wherein the membrane vesicles are loaded with an exogenous macromolecule to be delivered to the cell type during fusion, which results in the formation of fused cells containing the exogenous macromolecule with high efficiency and high viability. Alteratively, the membrane vesicles may contain at least one type of exogenous macromolecule inserted into its membrane.