PURPOSE. We created implantable intraocular devices capable of constant and continuous rapamycin release on the scale of months to years.METHODS. Polycaprolactone (PCL) thin films were used to encapsulate rapamycin to create implantable and biodegradable intraocular devices. Different film devices were studied by modifying the size, thickness, and porosity of the PCL films.RESULTS. In vitro release of rapamycin was observed to be constant (zero-order) through 14 weeks of study. Release rates were tunable by altering PCL film porosity and thickness. In vivo release of rapamycin was observed out through 16 weeks with concentrations in the retinachoroid in the therapeutic range. Rapamycin concentration in the blood was below the lower limit of quantification. The drug remaining in the device was chemically stable in vitro and in vivo, and was sufficient to last for upwards of 2 years of total release. The mechanism of release is related to the dissolution kinetics of crystalline rapamycin.CONCLUSIONS. Microporous PCL thin film devices demonstrate good ocular compatibility and the ability to release rapamycin locally to the eye over the course of many weeks.
Current administration of ranibizumab and other therapeutic macromolecules to the vitreous and retina carries ocular risks, and a high patient treatment burden, and compliance barriers that can lead to suboptimal treatment. Here we introduce a device that produces sustained release of ranibizumab in the vitreous cavity over the course of several months. Composed of twin nanoporous polymer thin films surrounding a ranibizumab reservoir, these devices provide release of ranibizumab over 16 weeks in vitro and 12 weeks in vivo, without exhausting the initial drug payload. Following implantation in vivo, devices were well tolerated and showed no sign of immune response. This platform presents a potential solution to the challenge of delivering protein therapeutics to the vitreous and retina for sustained periods of time.
Background
Experimental studies have shown that the standard dose of R or R+UVA as solo treatment are not able to exterminate Acanthamoeba cysts or even trophozoites. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the application of R+UVA can enhance the cysticidal effects of cationic antiseptic agents in vitro.
Methods
The log of either polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) or chlorhexidine minimal cysticidal concentration (MCC) in solutions containing riboflavin (concentrations 0.1 %; 0.05% and 0.025 %) plus either Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts or Acanthamoeba polyphaga cysts was determined and compared in groups treated with UVA 30 mW/cm2 for 30 min and in control groups (with no exposure to UVA). A permutation test was used to determine the P-value associated with treatment.
Results
Regardless of the riboflavin concentration and UVA treatment condition, no trophozoites were seen in plates where the cysts were previously exposed to cationic antiseptic agents concentrations ≥ 200 µg/mL for Acanthamoeba castellanii samples and ≥ 100 µg/mL for Acanthamoeba polyphaga samples. There was no statistical evidence that R+UVA treatment was associated with MCC (P = 0.82).
Conclusion
R+UVA in doses up to 10 times higher than recommended for corneal crosslinking does not enhance the cysticidal effect of either polyhexamethylene biguanide or chlorhexidine in vitro.
Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews ( JPCRR) is a peerreviewed scientific journal whose mission is to communicate clinical and bench research findings, with the goal of improving the quality of human health, the care of the individual patient, and the care of populations.
Recommended CitationAke T, Diehr S, Ruffalo L, Farias E, Fitzgerald A, Good SD, Howard LB, Kostelyna SP, Meurer LN. Needs assessment for creating a patient-centered, community-engaged health program for homeless pregnant women. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2018;5:36-44.
Advanced glycation end-product (AGE) accumulation reduces vitreous permeability when glycation is performed in ex vivo porcine vitreous. The permeability change was more pronounced for the larger solute, suggesting a lower threshold for AGE-induced permeability changes to impact the movement of proteins through the vitreous when compared with smaller molecules.
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