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Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems

Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems

Ophthalmic drug delivery faces major limitations due to poor absorption across the corneal membrane. This process is primarily driven by diffusion and is influenced by two main factors: the physicochemical properties of the drug and tear drainage. Most ophthalmic drugs, such as pilocarpine, epinephrine, atropine, and local anesthetics, are weak bases. They are typically formulated at an acidic pH to enhance chemical stability. However, this leads to high ionization, reducing their ability to...

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Optimized Minimally Invasive Transscleral Subretinal Injection Technique in Mouse

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Mini drug pump for ophthalmic use.

Saloomeh Saati¹, Ronalee Lo, Po-Ying Li

¹Doheny Eye Institute, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA.

Current Eye Research

|April 9, 2010

Summary

A novel mini drug pump for ophthalmic use was successfully developed and implanted in rabbits. This microelectromechanical systems device demonstrated feasibility for drug delivery and refilling, paving the way for future ocular therapeutic applications.

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Published on: October 1, 2007

Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Ophthalmology
Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

Ophthalmic drug delivery presents challenges in achieving consistent therapeutic levels.
Existing methods often require frequent administration, impacting patient compliance.
Novel drug delivery systems are needed to improve ocular treatment efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the feasibility of a novel microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based mini drug pump for ophthalmic applications.
To assess the performance of the pump in terms of drug delivery and refilling capabilities.
To determine the preliminary safety and biocompatibility of the implanted device in an animal model.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of a mini drug pump utilizing microelectromechanical systems engineering principles, incorporating electrolysis-based pumping, a refill port, and a check valve.
Bench-top testing to evaluate drug delivery rates and valve performance.
Surgical implantation of non-electrically active pumps into rabbit anterior chambers, followed by transconjunctival refilling with trypan blue solution and monitoring via slit lamp examination, photography, and fluorescein angiography.

Main Results:

Bench-top tests demonstrated a drug delivery rate of 2.0 microL/min with 0.4 mW electrolysis power and reliable valve opening pressures of 470 mmHg.
All implanted pumps were successfully refilled at 4-6 week intervals over a 4-6 month period.
No adverse events such as infection, device extrusion, or filtering bleb formation were observed post-implantation.

Conclusions:

A prototype ocular mini drug pump was successfully constructed, implanted, and refilled in a rabbit model, demonstrating feasibility.
Further research is required to assess the long-term biocompatibility of the electrically controlled implanted pump.
Extensive testing with various pharmacological agents is necessary to ascertain the full potential of this platform for ophthalmic therapeutic use.