The supercritical impregnation process was used as a green technology for the elaboration of drug delivery intraocular lenses to mitigate the risk of post-operatory endophthalmitis after cataract surgery. Commercially available hydrophobic acrylic (copolymer of benzyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate) intraocular lenses (IOLs) were impregnated with gatifloxacin, a fourth generation fluoroquinolone drug, using pure supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) to obtain solvent-free loaded implants. The interaction phenomena involved in the supercritical impregnation were studied by following in situ scCO 2 sorption within the polymer support and the subsequent IOL swelling, and by taking into account drug solubility in the supercritical fluid phase. The drug impregnation yields determined though in-vitro release studies varied between 0.33 and 1.07 ± 0.07 μg•mg −1 IOL in the studied experimental conditions (8 to 25 MPa, 308 to 328 K and 30 to 240 min impregnation duration). An impregnation duration longer or equal to the time required for a complete CO 2 uptake by the polymer as well as a higher pressure or a higher temperature over the crossover pressure delimiting the upper limit of the retrograde solubility zone, led to higher drug impregnation yields.
h i g h l i g h t s • Solubility of cefuroxime axetil in supercritical CO 2 was measured. • Temperatures varying from 308 to 328 K and pressures from 8 to 25 MPa were studied. • An analytical dynamic method was optimized for low amounts of drugs. • Retrograde solubility behavior was observed. • Solubility data were correlated with 4 semi-empirical density-based models.
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