Innovation Biomedical Devices expanded the nail hydrogel model and developed the thermal chemistry behind ToeMate® antifungal nail kits that treat nail fungus (onychomycosis). The technology includes:
The six reasons why existing nail infection treatments fail and have mycological cure rates under 18% for mild infections not involving the nail bed (water insolubility, lack of energy, nail and debris thickness, too few modes of action, electrostatic repulsion and alternate host).
Low molecular weight (small molecule) water soluble antimycotics (antifungal medication) with a slightly acidic pH and multiple modes of action in temperatures from 40 - 45 C and concentration (MIC - minimum inhibitory concentration values ~110%) to facilitate both nail penetration (diffusion rate) and lethal disruption of the infection.
Quantified the energy of activation model (the barrier atoms must pass through to diffuse through a solid) needed for the antimycotics to penetrate the nail (> 7.0 kcal/mol) and prescribed heat (40 - 45C water) as the source of energy to permit diffusing atoms to overcome the activation energy barrier and more easily move to new lattice sites deeper into the nail.
Keratolytic action to reduce cell cohesion and create micro channels in the nail to reduce the energy necessary to penetrate the nail to decrease treatment times to 3 months or less from the current 9 to 12 months.
U.S. Patent 7,793,666 issued and nine are pending.