Electroporation devices

Abstract

Improved devices and methods for performing electroporation-mediated delivery agents to cells is described. The method includes positioning a first electrode and a second electrode such that an electrical signal passed between the first electrode and the second electrode passes through the cell. The method also includes passing an electrical signal between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrical signal having a frequency greater than about 10 kHz. In one embodiment of the method, the electrical signal has a bipolar waveform. In another embodiment of the method, the electrodes are positioned at a treatment site, e.g., a tumor, for in vivo delivery of an agent.

1 . An electroporation system comprising: 
 a. an electroporation therapy apparatus comprising a body and two or more electrodes disposed in the body;    b. a connector that provides electrical communication between the electrodes and an electroporation instrument; and    c. an electroporation instrument that delivers a therapeutic electrical signal that comprises an electroporation signal and, optionally, an agent movement signal.    
   
   
       2 . An electroporation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic electrical signal comprises an electroporation signal and an agent movement signal.  
   
   
       3 . An electroporation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electroporation signal has a waveform selected from a bipolar waveform and a monopolar waveform.  
   
   
       4 . An electroporation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electroporation signal has a bipolar square waveform.  
   
   
       5 . An electroporation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electroporation signal has a frequency of greater than about 10 kHz.  
   
   
       6 . An electroporation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent movement signal has a monopolar waveform.  
   
   
       7 . An electroporation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent movement signal adds a DC offset to the electroporation signal.  
   
   
       8 . An electroporation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the agent movement signal has a voltage less than about 200 V.  
   
   
       9 . An electroporation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the electroporation instrument produces (i) electroporation signals via first electronics that include a first power source in communication with polarity-switching electronics and (2) agent movement signals via second electronics that include a second power source connected in series with the first power source, wherein the first power source and the second power source are each optionally a DC power source.  
   
   
       10 . An electroporation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the electroporation instrument has polarity-switching electronics for changing a monopolar electrical signal to a bipolar electrical signal prior to delivering the therapeutic electrical signal(s) to the electrodes, wherein the polarity-switching electronics optionally include a plurality of switches, which switches optionally include a first pair of switches and a second pair of switches arranged in a bipolar H-bridge.  
   
   
       11 . An electroporation system according to  claim 9 , wherein a first power line and a second power line connect the polarity-switching electronics to a power source and a first output line and a second output line connect the polarity-changing electronics to the connector.  
   
   
       12 . An electroporation system according to  claim 11 , wherein the polarity-changing electronics include a plurality of switches configured to occupy a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration the switches connect the first power line to the first output line and the second power line to the second output line and in the second configuration the switches connect the first power line to the second output line and the second power line to the first output line.  
   
   
       13 . An electroporation system according to  claim 12  further comprising at least one of the following: a controller for moving the switches between the first configuration and the second configuration; a DC power source for adding a DC offset to the bipolar electrical signal; a controller for controlling the frequency of the bipolar signal; a crowbar for shorting a power supply of the electroporation instrument in response to detection of a fault condition; and electronics for monitoring the voltage of the bipolar signal.  
   
   
       14 . An electroporation system according to  claim 1 , wherein a power source of the electroporation instrument includes a plurality of storage capacitors.  
   
   
       15 . An electroporation system according to  claim 9 , wherein the electrodes receive the bipolar electrical signal from the polarity switching electronics, wherein the bipolar electrical signal(s) optionally each has a bipolar square waveform, and wherein the bipolar electrical signal(s) optionally each has a frequency greater than about 10 kHz  
   
   
       16 . An electroporation system according to  claim 15  further comprising a controller for controlling the frequency of the bipolar electrical signal.  
   
   
       17 . An electroporation instrument that generates a therapeutic electrical signal, comprising: 
 a. first electronics for generating an electroporation signal;    b. second electronics for generating an agent movement signal;    c. a controller that controls generation of one or more therapeutic electrical signals, wherein each therapeutic electrical signal is a signal selected from the group consisting of an electroporation signal, an agent movement signal, and a combination of an electroporation signal and an agent movement signal; and    d. a connector for providing electrical communication of the therapeutic electrical signal from the electroporation instrument to an electroporation therapy apparatus connected thereto.