Method and apparatus for controlled release drug delivery to the cornea and anterior chamber of the eye
First Claim
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1. A method for delivering a drug directly to a cornea and anterior chamber of an eye comprising the steps of:
- entrapping a drug in microspheres made of a bioerodible polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), a copolymer of lactic acid an glycolic acid, and poly)ethylene-vinyl acetate), or a mixture of poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid),thereafter combining the microspheres with a hydrophilic polymer and forming a corneal shield for placement directly over the cornea, andthereafter placing the hydrophilic polymer corneal shield in contact with a cornea of an eye, whereby, as the microspheres dissolve, the drug is delivered directly to the cornea and anterior chamber of the eye.
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Abstract
A method and device for delivering a drug to the cornea and anterior chamber of an eye are disclosed. A drug is entrapped in microspheres of poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), a copolymer of lactic acid and glycolic acid, poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), or a mixture of poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid). The microspheres are combined with a hydrophilic polymer and placed in contact with the eye.
149 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for delivering a drug directly to a cornea and anterior chamber of an eye comprising the steps of:
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entrapping a drug in microspheres made of a bioerodible polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), a copolymer of lactic acid an glycolic acid, and poly)ethylene-vinyl acetate), or a mixture of poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid), thereafter combining the microspheres with a hydrophilic polymer and forming a corneal shield for placement directly over the cornea, and thereafter placing the hydrophilic polymer corneal shield in contact with a cornea of an eye, whereby, as the microspheres dissolve, the drug is delivered directly to the cornea and anterior chamber of the eye. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10)
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8. A device for delivering a drug directly to a cornea and anterior chamber of an eye, the combination comprising:
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a corneal shield made of a hydrophilic polymer to be placed in contact with a cornea of an eye, microspheres dispersed in said hydrophilic polymer, said microspheres being made of a bioerodible polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), a copolymer of lactic acid and glycolic acid, and poly)ethylene-vinyl acetate), or a mixture of poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid), and a drug entrapped by said microspheres. - View Dependent Claims (9, 11)
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12. A method for delivering a drug directly to a cornea and anterior chamber of an eye comprising the steps of
forming a solution of microspheres entrapping at least one drug, said microspheres being made of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, copolymers of lactic acid and glycolic acid, polyethylene-vinyl acetate and mixtures of polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid, forming a corneal shield from a hydrophilic polymer for placement directly over the cornea, immersing the corneal shied in the solution of microspheres for sufficient time to absorb the microspheres, and placing the hydrophilic polymer corneal shield in contact with the cornea of an eye to dissolve the microspheres and release the drug directly to the cornea and anterior chamber of the eye.
Specification