METHOD FOR DRUG DELIVERY TO OCULAR TISSUE USING MICRONEEDLE
First Claim
1. A method of administering a drug to an eye of a patient, comprising:
- inserting at least one hollow microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma of the eye without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and
infusing a fluid drug formulation through the at least one hollow microneedle and into the sclera or cornea, wherein the fluid drug formulation comprises a drug.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for administering a drug to a patient'"'"'s eye. The methods include (a) inserting a hollow microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and (b) infusing a fluid drug formulation through the microneedle and into the sclera or cornea. It further may include partially retracting the microneedle before infusion to enhance delivery. Alternatively, the methods may include (a) inserting a solid microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma, wherein the solid microneedle comprises a first quantity of a drug formulation and inserting causes the solid microneedle to form a pocket in the sclera or corneal stroma; and (b) releasing the drug formulation into the pocket to form a drug depot, whereby a drug is released from the depot. The methods and devices may include an array of multiple microneedles.
187 Citations
52 Claims
-
1. A method of administering a drug to an eye of a patient, comprising:
-
inserting at least one hollow microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma of the eye without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and
infusing a fluid drug formulation through the at least one hollow microneedle and into the sclera or cornea, wherein the fluid drug formulation comprises a drug. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
15. A method of administering a drug to an eye of a patient, comprising:
-
inserting at least one solid microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma of the eye without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma, wherein the at least one solid microneedle comprises a first quantity of a drug formulation and the step of inserting causes the at least one solid microneedle to form a pocket in the sclera or corneal stroma; and
releasing at least part of the first quantity of the drug formulation into the pocket to form a drug depot in the sclera or corneal stroma, whereby a drug in the drug formulation subsequently is released from the drug depot. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
31. A method of extraction from a tissue of the eye comprising:
-
inserting at least one microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma, without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and
withdrawing a biological fluid, tissue, or molecule sample from the sclera or corneal stroma with the at least one microneedle.
-
-
32. A microneedle device for delivery of a drug to the eye comprising:
-
an array of two or more microneedles extending from a base;
means for controllably inserting the two or more microneedles into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and
means for depositing a drug formulation in the sclera or corneal stroma to form a drug depot for subsequent release to an ocular tissue. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. A microneedle device for delivery of a drug to the eye comprising:
-
at least one solid microneedle extending from a base;
means for controllably inserting the at least one solid microneedle into the sclera or corneal stroma without penetrating across the sclera or corneal stroma; and
a drug formulation which comprises a drug, wherein the device is adapted to deposit the drug formulation into the sclera or corneal stroma to form a drug depot for controlled release of the drug to an ocular tissue.
-
Specification