OPHTHALMIC DEVICES FOR THE CONTROLLED RELEASE OF ACTIVE AGENTS

• US 20090306608A1
• Filed: 05/07/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aruna Nathan, Bret A. Coldren, Maureen J. Borgia, Michael J. Trezza II, Zhigang Li
• Original Assignee: Aruna Nathan, Bret A. Coldren, Maureen J. Borgia, Michael J. Trezza II, Zhigang Li
• Inventors: Trezza, Michael J. II, Nathan, Aruna, Borgia, Maureen J., Coldren, Bret A., Li, Zhigang
• Application Number:
  US12/437,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20090306608A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/294
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0068 the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00772 Apparatus for restoration of tear ducts
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0043 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants

Abstract

The invention provides devices useful for the delivery of active agents to the eye in a controlled manner. In the devices of the invention, the active agent is present within the device in a continuous or discontinuous concentration gradient.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic device, comprising:

a body having a first end and a second end;

a surface extending between the two ends;

a reservoir contained within the body wherein the reservoir comprises at least one opening, an active agent-containing material and an active agent, wherein the active agent is present in a continuous or discontinuous concentration gradient within the active agent-containing material.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a punctal plug.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the active agent-containing material comprises poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and ethylene vinyl acetate.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and ethylene vinyl acetate are each present in an amount of about 50 weight percent.

5. The device of claim 1 or 3, wherein the active agent-containing material is a in a form of one or more fiber or fiber-like structures.

6. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the device further comprises a release modulating component selected from the group consisting of biodegradable semi-permeable membranes, non-biodegradable semi-permeable membranes, pores and combinations thereof.

7. The device of claims 1 or 2, wherein the active-agent containing material further comprises an outer segment comprising a first material having a low concentration of the active agent and an inner segment comprising a second material having a high concentration of the active agent, wherein the permeability of the first material to the active agent is less than the permeability of the second material.

8. The device of claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the active agent-containing material further comprises one or more of a phase separated inclusion, a destabilizing inclusion or a stabilizing inclusion.

9. An ophthalmic device, comprising:

a body having a first end and a second end;

a surface extending between the two ends;

a tapered reservoir contained within the body wherein the reservoir comprises at least one opening, an active agent-containing material and an active agent, wherein the active agent is present in a continuous or discontinuous concentration gradient within the active agent-containing material.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is a punctal plug.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the active agent-containing material comprises poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and ethylene vinyl acetate.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and ethylene vinyl acetate are each present in an amount of about 50 weight percent.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the active agent-containing material is a in a form of one or more fiber or fiber-like structures.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the device further comprises a release modulating component selected from the group consisting of biodegradable semi-permeable membranes, non-biodegradable semi-permeable membranes, pores and combinations thereof.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the active-agent containing material further comprises an outer segment comprising a first material having a low concentration of the active agent and an inner segment comprising a second material having a high concentration of the active agent, wherein the permeability of the first material to the active agent is less than the permeability of the second material.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the active agent-containing material further comprises one or more of a phase separated inclusion, a destabilizing inclusion or a stabilizing inclusion.