The Technology
Diabetic retinopathy and Age-related macular degeneration are the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness. The standard of care for these conditions include repeated intraocular injections of Anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy (anti-VEGF). Although very efficient clinically, anti-VEGF therapy is far from ideal: It is associated with systemic adverse events and devastating ocular complications such as endophthalmitis. Moreover, the injection itself might be deterring, painful and require a doctor to perform. The invention is a novel approach to trans-scleral drug delivery involving biodegradable microneedles that penetrate into tissue in a minimally invasive manner. This would enable a controlled release of free drug to the vitreous cavity without pain. Drug/s could then diffuse from the vitreous to neighboring choroidal and retinal tissues to treat the posterior of the eye.
Advantages
- Selective targeting of the intraocular tissues in a minimally invasive manner.
- Attractive alternatives to injection since they can be applied more quickly, causes less pain and may require less trained medical staff and equipment.
Applications
- Drug delivery to the posterior eye segment
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