Biodegradable implants for ocular delivery of anti-inflammatory drug

The treatment of vitreoretinal diseases is limited, and there are currently new drug delivery approaches being reported for increasing drug bioavailability. Intraocular implants can release drugs directly into the posterior segment of the eye and maintain long-term vitreous concentrations of drugs within the therapeutic range. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo short-term safety and pharmacokinetic behavior of a dexamethasone implant that is inserted into the vitreous using a new technique that does not require surgery. The results showed that the developed device prolonged the release of dexamethasone within therapeutic levels, both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the implant was not associated with retinal histological changes or elevated intraocular pressure in normal rabbits’ eyes. Controlled animal studies are underway to test the efficacy of the implant in diseased eyes.