Ophthalmic drug delivery device

• US 6,986,900 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Original Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Inventors: Yaacobi, Yoseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Azpuru, Carlos A.
• Application Number:
  US10/702,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20040092911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 424/427
• US Class Current: 424/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• 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: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/12 Antivirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/16 for influenza or rhinoviruses
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/06 Immunosuppressants, e.g. drugs for graft rejection

Abstract

An ophthalmic drug delivery device having a scleral surface, an orbital surface, an injection port on the orbital surface, and a fluid conducting passageway disposed within the device that is fluidily coupled to the injection port and terminates in an opening for communicating the fluid to an outer surface of the sclera is disclosed. The fluid contains a pharmaceutically active agent useful for the treatment of a disease of the posterior segment of the eye.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic drug delivery device, comprising:

a scleral surface having a curvature that facilitates contact with a sclera of an eye;

an orbital surface;

an injection port on said orbital surface for sealingly engaging a needle of a syringe, said syringe for providing a fluid comprising a pharmaceutically active agent; and

a fluid conducting passageway disposed within said device, fluidly coupled to said injection port, and terminating in an opening for communicating said fluid to an outer surface of said sclera.

2. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 1 further comprising a sharp surface on an exterior of said device for piercing connective tissue that may encapsulate said device upon implantation on said outer surface of said sclera.

3. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 1 wherein said fluid conducting passage terminates in a plurality of openings for communicating said fluid to said outer surface of said sclera.

4. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of said fluid conducting passageways.

5. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 1 further comprising:

a well having a second opening to said scleral surface;

an inner core disposed in said well and comprising a second pharmaceutically active agent.

6. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 5 wherein said pharmaceutically agent and said second pharmaceutically active agent are identical.

7. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 5 wherein said pharmaceutically active agent is different from said second pharmaceutically active agent.

8. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 7 wherein said pharmaceutically agent is formulated as a fluid, and said second pharmaceutically active agent is formulated as a solid or semi-solid.

9. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 5 wherein:

said fluid delivers said pharmaceutically active agent through said sclera and a choroid into a retina of said eye; and

said inner core delivers said second pharmaceutically active agent through said sclera and a choroid into a retina of said eye.

10. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 9 wherein said fluid delivers said pharmaceutically active agent to substantially all of said retina, and said inner core delivers said second pharmaceutically active agent to a portion of said retina disposed generally beneath said inner core.

11. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 1 further comprising a second pharmaceutically active agent disposed in said device outside of said fluid conducting passageway, wherein said second pharmaceutically active agent diffuses through said device.

12. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 11 wherein said pharmaceutically agent and said second pharmaceutically active agent are identical.

13. The ophthalmic drug delivery device of claim 11 wherein said pharmaceutically active agent is different from said second pharmaceutically active agent.