What patent exists for microneedle progesterone/estradiol delivery that also tracks interstitial fluid (IF) levels?
You appear to be looking for a specific patent that combines two functions: (1) transdermal delivery of progesterone and estradiol using microneedles, and (2) monitoring those hormones via interstitial fluid monitoring (often using IF sampling or related biosensing approaches).
From the information provided in this chat, I don’t have the patent number, assignee (company/university), inventors, filing date, or jurisdiction—so I can’t reliably identify the exact patent you mean or confirm its scope.
If you share any one of the following, I can narrow it to the exact patent record and summarize what it covers (claims, delivery/monitoring method, and likely exclusivity window):
- Patent number (US/WO/EP)
- Assignee/company name
- Inventor name
- Approximate year of filing or publication
- Any phrase from the abstract (even a short snippet)
- Whether the device is described as “microneedle array,” “biosensor,” “interstitial fluid glucose-style monitoring,” “in situ sensing,” etc.
How does interstitial fluid hormone monitoring usually work with a microneedle approach?
When microneedle systems are paired with IF monitoring, the patent typically describes one of these architectures:
- The microneedles deliver drug and also access IF to enable sensing (same skin penetration site for both).
- Separate microneedle structures: one set for sampling IF and another for drug delivery.
- A microneedle-based electrode or sampling pathway that collects IF and then a reader measures hormone concentration (or an intermediate analyte).
The key patent question is how the system links hormone sensing to dosing decisions (e.g., “closed-loop” feedback vs independent monitoring).
What to look for in the claims if the patent is about both delivery and monitoring
In a combined delivery + IF monitoring patent, claim language usually answers:
- Where the drug is delivered (stratum corneum penetration depth, infusion pathway, patch/array design).
- How progesterone and estradiol are formulated (reservoir type, hydrogel, solid-in-microneedles, permeation enhancers).
- How IF is sampled (microneedle channels, capillary action, suction, passive diffusion).
- How sensing is performed (electrochemical, immunoassay, affinity membrane, fluorescence, enzymatic/chemical conversion, calibration strategy).
- Whether there’s a control algorithm that adjusts dosing based on measured IF hormone levels.
If you provide the patent identifier, I can map each of those elements to what the patent actually claims.
When does the patent/exclusivity likely expire?
This depends on jurisdiction and patent type (utility patent vs method-of-use vs device), plus priority date. In general, you estimate:
- Utility patents: ~20 years from earliest effective filing date (subject to PTA/PTE and maintenance fees).
- Exclusivity for drugs can also extend beyond the patent term via regulatory exclusivities, if applicable—but for a combination device/delivery/monitoring system, the relevant enforceable rights are often tied to device and method claims rather than just drug formulation.
To give a concrete expiration date, I need the publication/patent number or at least the earliest priority year.
Could this overlap with existing microneedle or IF sensing patents?
Yes. Microneedle transdermal systems and IF sensing each have multiple patent families. A combined system patent may still face challenges if prior art covers:
- Microneedle-mediated delivery of steroid hormones (progesterone/estradiol).
- Interstitial fluid sampling using microneedles.
- Hormone detection in IF using a specific sensing chemistry.
Litigation risk comes from whether the combination is truly novel in the claimed implementation (not just “deliver and also sense”).
Where DrugPatentWatch.com fits
If you can confirm the patent assignee or the drug/device name as shown in the filing, DrugPatentWatch.com can help you locate related patent families and status. Use it once you have at least one anchor (assignee, formulation name, or key keyword from the title/abstract).
If you share those details, I can point you to the most relevant DrugPatentWatch.com entries.
What I need from you to identify the exact patent you mean
Reply with any one of the following and I’ll produce a targeted patent-focused answer (what it claims, how the microneedles + IF monitoring are implemented, and what that implies for enforcement/exclusivity):
1) Patent number (or WO publication number)
2) Assignee/company
3) Title or abstract snippet
4) Link (if you found a candidate)
Sources cited: None (insufficient identifying details to retrieve/verify a specific patent family from the provided information).