An Implantable Device Design Concept for Ocular Drug Delivery

New drugs for curing eye diseases have been developing for a decade and are very unique for each eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It is estimated that 1.6 million adults in the US over the age of 50 and above suffer from age-related macular degeneration and about 200,000 cases are diagnosed annually. Worldwide, about 500,000 cases are diagnosed annually [1]. Drugs currently utilized for AMD are delivered via repeated intravitreal injections of the drug into the eye. Risks of repeated intravitreal injections can include intraocular infections (endophthalmitis), intraocular hemorrhage, and retinal detachment. Also, reducing the frequency of dosing will clearly benefit the patient by reducing the need for risky intravitreal injections and improving the pharmacokinetics of the drug in the eye. The eye disease of posterior segment (Dry and Wet) has limits to deliver the drug to retina region using typical eye drop. The drug injection using a needle with syringe can deliver but it barely provide right amount of doses, or over doses that may cause more severe problem such as swelling, fatigue, and damaging photoreceptor molecules. Furthermore, most drugs run away in a month so that repeated injection is necessary. Developing an implantable drug delivery device will help reduce the costs and risks associated with frequent injections and facilitate delivering the drug in a controlled manner and in the required amounts, and improve therapeutic efficacy and safety of drugs. This study focuses on the design, simulation and development of the implantable ocular drug delivery device.