Nanoporous Films for Ocular Drug Delivery

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目旨在通过创建一个持续眼内递送抗体治疗药物的平台来治疗年龄相关性黄斑变性（AMD），以抑制血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）。该跨学科团队将设计和制造原型纳米多孔薄膜器件；建立药物装载技术和药物释放特性；完成体外及动物眼模型的临床前生物相容性及功能测试。与其他缓释技术不同，所提出的薄膜装置在功能上可调，可实现零级药物释放动力学，在几个月内获得平坦的药物释放曲线和狭窄的浓度范围。通过将药物隔离在设备内的底层储层中，药物可以免受外部微环境的影响。这种装载和保护药物的能力是生物疗法的关键，生物疗法通常会经历快速降解和从眼睛中清除。本项目提出的设备设计将减轻眼部药物输送中固有的许多挑战，并为眼部治疗的输送提供一种创新的方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project seeks to treat age related macular degeneration (AMD) by creating a platform for the sustained intra-ocular delivery of antibody-based therapeutic agents to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This interdisciplinary team will design and manufacture prototype nanoporous thin-film devices; establish drug loading techniques and drug release properties; and complete pre-clinical biocompatibility and functional testing in vitro and in animal eye models. Unlike other sustained release technologies, the proposed thin-film devices are functionally tunable to achieve zero-order drug release kinetics, attaining a flat drug release profile and a tight concentration range over several months. By sequestering drug in an underlying reservoir layer within the device, the drug can be protected from the external microenvironment. This ability to load and protect the drug is key for biologically-based therapies which often undergo rapid degradation and clearance from the eye. The device design proposed in this program will mitigate many challenges inherent in ocular drug delivery and provide an innovative approach to the delivery of ocular therapeutics.