System and methods for local intradermal treatment

Abstract

A system and methods for local intradermal treatment of a dermal injury carrying the risk of innoculation with an identified pathogen or pathogens carried by an identified vector is described. In one embodiment, the system includes a multidrug pharmaceutical composition specifically targeting the pathogen or pathogens known to be carried by the identified vector. The pharmaceutical composition is applied to a dermal patch, which is applied to the skin at the site of dermal injury. The pharmaceutical composition further includes an enhancer for facilitating the penetration and absorption of the pharmaceutical composition into the dermal layers. The pharmaceutical composition provides local, intradermal drug concentrations which are sufficient to substantially eradicate or inhibit a pathogen while it remains intradermally localized.

1 . A method for treating a dermal injury carrying a risk of innoculation with at least one known pathogen, said method comprising the step of: 
 providing a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one drug in an amount sufficient to substantially reduce intradermal levels of the at least one known pathogen when applied to an area of skin surrounding the dermal injury.    
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the dermal injury is caused by a vector of the known pathogen, said method further comprising the step of identifying the at least one known pathogen by identifying the vector of the at least one known pathogen  
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising the step of providing the pharmaceutical composition in a form suitable for topical application to the area of skin surrounding the dermal injury.  
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 3  wherein providing the pharmaceutical composition in a form suitable for topical application to the area of skin surrounding the dermal injury comprises the step of providing the pharmaceutical composition applied to a dermal patch.  
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 4  further comprising the step of applying the dermal patch to the area of skin surrounding the dermal injury.  
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein providing the pharmaceutical composition in a form suitable for topical application to the area of skin surrounding the dermal injury comprises the step of providing the pharmaceutical composition as a topical preparation.  
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 6  further comprising the step of applying the topical preparation to the area of skin surrounding the dermal injury.  
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein providing the pharmaceutical composition comprises the step of providing a pharmaceutical composition further comprising an enhancer for facilitating at least one of dermal absorption and penetration of the pharmaceutical composition.  
     
     
         9 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein providing a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one drug comprises the step of providing a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least a first drug selected from one of the antibiotics, the antivirals, the antimalarials, the antitoxins and the antivenoms.  
     
     
         10 . A method in accordance with  claim 9  wherein providing a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one drug comprises the step of providing a pharmaceutical composition further comprising at least the first drug and a second drug, the second drug selected from one of the antibiotics, the antivirals, the antimalarials, the antitoxins, the antivenoms, the antipruritics, the anti-inflammatories, the vasoconstrictors, the steroids, antibodies and complement, the local anaesthetics, and the topical analgesics.  
     
     
         11 . A method of using a dermal patch, said method comprising the step of applying to a surface of the dermal patch a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one drug in an amount sufficient to substantially reduce intradermal levels of a pathogen when applied to an area of skin surrounding a dermal injury carrying a risk of innoculation with the pathogen.  
     
     
         12 . A method in accordance with  claim 11  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the pharmaceutical composition; and  
 applying the dermal patch to the area of skin surrounding the dermal injury.  
 
     
     
         13 . An intradermal drug delivery system for treating a dermal injury carrying a risk of innoculation of at least one identified pathogen, said intradermal drug delivery system comprising: 
 a dermal patch having a first surface;    wherein the at least one identified pathogen is identified by identifying the pathogen vector, a pharmaceutical composition applied to said first surface, said pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one drug in an amount sufficient to substantially reduce intradermal levels of the at least one identified pathogen when applied to an area of skin surrounding the dermal injury.    
     
     
         14 . An intradermal drug delivery system in accordance with  claim 13  wherein said pharmaceutical composition further comprises at least one enhancer for facilitating at least one of dermal absorption and penetration of the pharmaceutical composition.  
     
     
         15 . An intradermal drug delivery system in accordance with  claim 13  wherein said pharmaceutical composition further comprises one enhancer for facilitating at least one of dermal absorption and penetration of the pharmaceutical composition.  
     
     
         16 . An intradermal drug delivery system in accordance with  claim 13  herein said at least one drug comprises a first drug, said first drug comprising one of an antibiotic, an antiviral, an antimalarial, an antitoxin and an antivenom.  
     
     
         17 . An intradermal drug delivery system in accordance with  claim 16  wherein said at least one drug comprises said first drug and a second drug, said second drug comprising one of an antibiotic, an antiviral, an antimalarial, an antitoxin, an antivenom, an antipruritic, an anti-inflammatory, a vasoconstrictor, a steroid, an antibody and complement, a local anaesthetic, and a topical analgesic.  
     
     
         18 . An intradermal drug delivery system in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said first drug and said second drug both comprise an antibiotic, said first drug and said second drug having substantially differing half-lives.  
     
     
         19 . An intradermal drug delivery system in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said at least one drug comprises a plurality of drugs, said pharmaceutical composition further comprising: 
 an enhancer for facilitating at least one of dermal absorption and penetration of the pharmaceutical composition    at least one drug for treating symptoms associated with an innoculation of the at least one identified pathogen, said at least one drug for treating symptoms comprising one of an antipruritic, an anti-inflammatory, a vasoconstrictor, a steroid, an antibody and complement, a local anaesthetic, and a topical analgesic.    
     
     
         20 . A method for prophylactically treating tick-borne pathogens, said method comprising the step of: 
 providing a topical pharmaceutical composition, the topical pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one antibiotic in an amount sufficient to substantially reduce intradermal levels of the tick-borne pathogens when applied to an area of skin surrounding a tick bite.