Abstract

An implantable drug delivery system includes a housing having a base end and a discharge end, for holding drug solution at the discharge end, a valve disposed at the discharge end to allow a drug solution to flow from inside the housing, through the valve and out of the housing when solution pressure is applied to the valve, a piston slidably disposed in the housing to slide between the base end and discharge end to force solution toward the discharge end and out the valve, and a spring disposed in the housing between the piston and the base end thereof for urging the piston toward the discharge end. A plurality of different length tethers are connected at one end to the piston and at the other end to a respective release node located at the base end of the housing. Each release node holds the other end of a respective one of the tethers until a release signal is received at which time it releases the tether. A timing circuit is disposed in the housing at the base end to supply release signals sequentially to the nodes in order of the shortest tether node to the longest tether node so that as a tether is released, the piston is allowed to move toward the discharge end of the housing to thereby discharge or bolus of drug solution from the housing, until the next shortest unreleased tether stops further movement of the piston.