Methods and Devices 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 a hollow microneedle into the sclera of the eye at an insertion site, the microneedle having a tip end with an opening; and
infusing over a period of time a fluid drug formulation, which comprises a drug, through the inserted microneedle and into the suprachoroidal space of the eye,wherein during the period the infused drug formulation flows within the suprachoroidal space away from the insertion site.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for targeted administration of a drug to a patient'"'"'s eye. In one embodiment, the method includes inserting a hollow microneedle into the sclera of the eye at an insertion site and infusing a fluid drug formulation through the inserted microneedle and into the suprachoroidal space of the eye, wherein the infused fluid drug formulation flows within the suprachoroidal space away from the insertion site during the infusion. The fluid drug formulation may flow circumferentially toward the retinochoroidal tissue, macula, and optic nerve in the posterior segment of the eye.
113 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of administering a drug to an eye of a patient, comprising:
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inserting a hollow microneedle into the sclera of the eye at an insertion site, the microneedle having a tip end with an opening; and infusing over a period of time a fluid drug formulation, which comprises a drug, through the inserted microneedle and into the suprachoroidal space of the eye, wherein during the period the infused drug formulation flows within the suprachoroidal space away from the insertion site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of administering a drug to an eye of a patient, comprising:
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(a) inserting a hollow microneedle into the sclera of the eye at an insertion site, the microneedle having a tip end with an opening; (b) applying a selected pressure to a fluid drug formulation, which comprises a drug, to induce infusion of the drug formulation through the inserted microneedle; (c) determining whether the drug formulation has flowed into the suprachoroidal space of the eye and away from the insertion site; (d) if the determination in step (c) is that the drug formulation has flowed into the suprachoroidal space away from the insertion site, then infusing a selected volume of the fluid drug formulation and thereupon removing the pressure, or if the determination in step (c) is that substantially none of the drug formulation has flowed into the suprachoroidal space away from the insertion site, then repositioning the inserted microneedle and repeating steps (b)-(d) until a selected volume of the fluid drug formulation has been infused; and (e) retracting the microneedle from the eye.
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24. A device for administration of a drug to the eye of a patient, comprising:
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a hollow microneedle having a tip end and a bore through which a fluid can be communicated through the microneedle; a device body for holding the microneedle, the device body having an end serving as a base from which the microneedle extends; and an actuator for controlled infusion of a fluid drug formulation through the microneedle, wherein the device is configured for insertion of the tip of the microneedle into an insertion site in the sclera of the eye and the device is operable to infuse the fluid drug formulation into the suprachoroidal space and away from the insertion site. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification