Data from: Refillable intraocular drug-eluting implant

The increasing incidence of ophthalmic diseases has led to the need for
multiple dosage regimens, which can cause patient discomfort and
noncompliance due to the frequency of medication administration. Still,
ophthalmic drug delivery methods, such as eye drops and intravitreal
injection, pose challenges, such as poor bioavailability, short half-life,
and patient compliance. In this study, we introduce a novel refillable
intracapsular drug-eluting reservoir for the long-term management of
ocular diseases. This device, made of medical-grade silicone and stainless
steel, has features to contour the lens capsule to facilitate
microincisional implantation. Rheological and mechanical analyses of the
silicone revealed the optimized conditions for the device construction and
its application compliance for ocular intracapsular implantation.
Furthermore, in vitro release studies exhibit controlled drug release, the
kinetics of which were consistent with Fickian diffusion, while ex vivo
implantation testing shows that the device can be easily delivered and
placed at the time of cataract surgery. Taken altogether, the developed
implant holds significant potential for improving therapeutic outcomes
while offering a practical surgical application and compliance of
patients.