Analyte sensors employing multiple enzymes and methods associated therewith
Inventors
Oja, Stephen • Ouyang, Tianmei • Cho, Hyun • Tran, Lam N. • Feldman, Benjamin J.
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-12672805-B2
Publication Date
2026-07-07
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods and analyte sensors including at least a first working electrode having a first active area thereon, and performing a dip coating operation to deposit a bilayer membrane upon the first working electrode and the first active area. The bilayer may include an inner layer having a first membrane polymer and an outer layer having a second membrane polymer, the first membrane polymer and the second membrane polymer differing from one another. The dip coating operation may comprise one or more first dips in a first membrane formulation to form the inner layer of the bilayer membrane and one or more second dips in a second membrane formulation to form the outer layer of the bilayer membrane upon the inner layer.
Core Innovation
The document describes an analyte sensor configured for in vivo detection of glucose and ketones. The sensor includes at least a first working electrode and a second working electrode, with a ketones-responsive active area disposed on the surface of the first working electrode and a glucose-responsive active area disposed on the surface of the second working electrode. A mass transport limiting membrane overcoats both the ketones-responsive active area and the glucose-responsive active area.
The core distinction is that independent variation of analyte sensitivity is provided at each working electrode by tailoring the relative geometry and/or the membrane barrier properties over each active area. One approach varies one or more of the area, the size, or an areal ratio between the glucose-responsive active area and the ketones-responsive active area. Another approach varies the thickness of the mass transport limiting membrane over the ketones-responsive active area relative to the thickness over the glucose-responsive active area.
The sensor is configured to be partially inserted into a user’s skin so that a distal portion contacts interstitial fluid to detect glucose and ketones in vivo. The document also describes sensor architectures and signal interpretation concepts in the context of multi-analyte sensing, including using oxidation-reduction potential separation to enable independent or combined signal interpretation for different analytes.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims identified in the provided material include an in vivo analyte sensor for detecting glucose and ketones. The coverage is centered on inventive structural relationships between paired working electrodes, analyte-specific active areas, and a shared mass transport limiting membrane with independently controlled sensitivity at each electrode, achieved by varying relative area/size ratios and/or membrane thickness over the respective active areas.
Dual working electrodes with analyte-specific active areas
An analyte sensor for detecting glucose and ketones in vivo comprising at least a first working electrode and a second working electrode, a ketones-responsive active area disposed on the first working electrode, and a glucose-responsive active area disposed on the second working electrode.
Mass transport limiting membrane overcoating both active areas
A mass transport limiting membrane overcoating the ketones-responsive active area and the glucose-responsive active area.
Independent variation of analyte sensitivity via active-area geometry
One or more of an area, a size, or an areal ratio of the glucose-responsive area and the ketones-responsive area vary with respect to one another.
Independent variation of analyte sensitivity via membrane thickness tailoring
The mass transport limiting membrane has a thickness over the ketones-responsive active area that differs from a thickness of the mass transport limiting membrane over the glucose-responsive active area.
In vivo skin insertion for interstitial fluid sensing
The sensor is configured to be partially inserted into a user’s skin such that a distal portion of the sensor is in contact with an interstitial fluid to detect glucose and ketones in vivo.
Overall, the provided independent-claim coverage focuses on an in vivo glucose/ketone sensor having two working electrodes with dedicated active areas, a shared mass transport limiting membrane, and independently tunable sensitivity at each electrode achieved by varying active-area geometry and/or membrane thickness over each active area, together with partial insertion into skin to contact interstitial fluid.
Stated Advantages
Independent variation of analyte sensitivity at each working electrode for glucose and ketones.
Documented Applications
An analyte monitoring system in which sensor data is used to control vehicle operation when analyte thresholds are crossed, including a vehicle control/ignition lock system context.
Interested in licensing this patent?