OCULAR IMPLANT WITH THERAPEUTIC AGENT AND METHODS THEREOF

• US 20130018296A1
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Original Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Inventors: Gharib, Morteza, Bergheim, Olav B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00891 Glaucoma
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/06 Antiglaucoma agents or miotics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/905 Eye

Abstract

An ocular disorder treatment implant includes an anchor and a therapeutic agent. The implant has a body with first and second end portions. The implant is configured to transport fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye to a physiological outflow pathway of the eye. The body has at least one inlet opening at the first end portion and at least one outlet opening at the second end portion such that the inlet and outlet openings are in fluid communication and define an axis therebetween. The anchor extends substantially perpendicularly to a part of the axis between the openings, and at least one outlet opening is configured to be positioned in the physiological outflow pathway. One implant has two outlet openings, and the anchor is disposed closer to one of the outlet openings.

Claims

1. A method of treating an ocular disorder, comprising:

inserting an implant having at least one lumen extending between an inlet and an outlet, and at least one anchor projecting outwardly from the lumen, in internal eye tissue such that the outlet is positioned so as to fluidicly communicate directly with a physiologic outflow pathway of an eye;

using the anchor to retain the implant in the internal eye tissue; and

eluting a therapeutic agent from the implant, the eluting comprising exposing the therapeutic agent of the implant to aqueous humor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic agent is coated onto a surface of the implant.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the therapeutic agent is coated onto at least an inner surface of the implant that defines the lumen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the implant is inserted into trabecular meshwork of the eye.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising conducting aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to the physiologic outflow pathway through the implant.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein conducting aqueous humor involves placing the inlet in the anterior chamber and placing the outlet in the physiologic outflow pathway.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the outlet is placed into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the outlet involves placing at least a portion of the implant at a location posterior to a cornea of the eye.

9. A method of treating an ocular disorder, comprising:

inserting an implant into an anterior chamber of an eye, said implant comprising a therapeutic drug;

advancing the implant within the anterior chamber to a location posterior to a cornea of the eye;

placing at least a portion of the implant into internal eye tissue at said location; and

exposing the therapeutic drug of the implant to aqueous humor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the therapeutic drug is coated onto a surface of the implant.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the therapeutic drug is coated onto at least an inner surface of the implant that defines the lumen.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the implant is placed into trabecular meshwork.

13. The method of claim 9, additionally comprising conducting aqueous humor from the anterior chamber through the implant to the physiologic outflow pathway.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein conducting aqueous humor involves providing at least one lumen that extends through at least a portion of the implant between at least one inlet and at least one outlet, placing the inlet in the anterior chamber, and placing the outlet in a physiologic outflow pathway of the eye.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the outlet is placed into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

16. The method of claim 9, additionally comprising retaining the implant in the internal eye tissue using an anchor.