Patent ID: 8036738

Claim:
An iontophoretic, non-invasive transdermal delivery system for the controlled release of a pharmaceutically active ingredient through the skin surface of a mammal, wherein the system comprises: a. first and second electrodes in contact with an aqueous solution comprising the pharmaceutically active ingredient, wherein said first electrode is a conductive porous polyaniline membrane that is adapted to be placed in contact with the skin surface of a mammal; and b. voltage generating means connecting said first and second electrodes, said means being capable of providing a direct current flow between the electrodes and the aqueous ingredient solution, whereby the pharmaceutically active ingredient is caused to pass through the conductive porous polyaniline membrane and the skin surface; and wherein the porous polyaniline membrane is configured and dimensioned to allow non-ionic materials to pass through the pores of the porous polyaniline membrane; wherein the conductive porous polyaniline membrane has an average porosity from about 0.005 to about 0.60; and wherein the pores of the porous polyaniline membrane have pore sizes from about 10 angstrom units to about 10 microns.