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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Use of Rabbit Eyes in Pharmacokinetic Studies of Intraocular Drugs
Published on: July 23, 2016
Toxicity of high-dose intravitreal adalimumab (Humira) in the rabbit
Roberta P A Manzano1, Gholam A Peyman, Petros E Carvounis
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. roberta.manzano@gmail.com
Purpose:
To evaluate the ocular toxicity of escalating doses of intravitreous adalimumab (Humira®) in the rabbit eye.
Methods:
Thirty New Zealand albino rabbits received intravitreous injections of 0.5 mg (6 eyes), 1.0 mg (6 eyes), 2.5 mg (6 eyes), 5 mg (6 eyes), and 10 mg (6 eyes) adalimumab. Slit lamp biomicroscopy and fundoscopy were carried out at baseline, day 7, and day 14 after intravitreous injection, whereas electroretinography (ERG) was carried out at baseline and day 14. Animals were euthanized on day 14, and histopathological examination of the eyes was performed.
Results:
Slit lamp biomicroscopy and fundoscopy were normal in all eyes receiving doses up to 5 mg. In the 10 mg group, 3 of 6 eyes showed mild anterior chamber inflammatory reaction on day 7. Similarly, scotopic and photopic a- and b-wave ERG amplitudes at baseline and day 14 were similar in all groups up to 5 mg, but there was a significant decrease in the photopic-wave ERG response in the 10 mg group (P=0.046). Finally, histopathology demonstrated no differences among eyes receiving balanced salt solution, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, or 10 mg of adalimumab.
Conclusions:
Intravitreous adalimumab exhibited no associated ocular short-term toxicity in rabbit eyes up to the 5 mg dose. In the 10 mg group mild clinical findings and ERG amplitude reduction could reflect early toxicity.
