Patent ID: 7674396
Filing Date: 2010-03-09
Classification: A61F,A61K

Abstract:
1. A food grade ingestible gastric device, comprising: a gas producing core material and an outer region, said gas producing core material and said outer region comprising food grade materials, said gas producing core material and said outer region forming a substantially solid structure, said outer region defining a first volume, said first volume allowing normal ingestion of said gastric device into a subject's stomach, said gas producing core material being adapted to produce a gas upon hydration of said gastric device with an aqueous material and thereby contact of said core material with said aqueous material, whereby said gastric device expands to a second volume greater than said first volume, said second volume being sufficient to preclude passage of said gastric device into said subject's duodenum while still allowing food to pass therethrough, said gastric device being adapted to hydrate after contact with said aqueous material for a period of time in the range of approximately 1-30 min, said gastric device being adapted to sufficiently degrade in said subject's stomach after a first period of time to allow passage of said gastric device into said subject's duodenum, said gastric device being further adapted to completely degrade in said subject's stomach and lower gastrointestinal tract.