Refillable Intraocular Drug-Eluting Implant

The increasing incidence of ophthalmic diseases has led the need for multiple dosage regimens, which can cause patient discomfort and noncompliance due to the frequency of medication administration. Still, ophthalmic drug delivery methods, such as eye drops and intravitreal injection, pose challenges, such as poor bioavailability, short half-life, and patient compliance. In this study, we introduce a novel refillable intracapsular drug-eluting reservoir for the long-term management of ocular diseases. This device, made of medical-grade silicone and stainless steel, has features to contour the lens capsule to facilitate microincisional implantation. Rheological and mechanical analyses of the silicone revealed the optimized conditions for the device construction and its application compliance for ocular intracapsular implantation. Furthermore, in vitro release studies exhibit controlled drug release, the kinetics of which were along with Fickian diffusion, while ex vivo implantation testing shows that the device can be easily delivered and placed at the time of cataract surgery. Taken altogether, the developed implant holds significant potential for improving therapeutic outcomes while offering a practical surgical application and compliance of patients.