Ocular delivery of triamcinolone acetonide phosphate and related compounds

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for ocularly delivering a triamcinolone acetonide agent to a subject. In one aspect, for example, a method is provided for treating or preventing an ocular condition in a subject for which triamcinolone acetonide is effective. Such a method may include ocularly administering a triamcinolone acetonide agent to the subject in order to treat or prevent the condition. Although any administration technique is contemplated, in some aspects a triamcinolone acetonide agent may be delivered to eye tissue via ocular iontophoresis.

Description

PRIORITY DATA [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 238,144, filed on Sep. 27, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 623,150, filed on Oct. 27, 2004, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 238,104, filed on Sep. 27, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 623,150, filed on Oct. 27, 2004, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to systems, methods, and devices for the minimally invasive or noninvasive delivery ocular delivery of an active agent. Accordingly, the present invention involves the fields of chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, and medicine, particularly ophthalmology. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Posterior and intermediate eye diseases that require ocular drug deli...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides systems and methods for noninvasively delivering a triamcinolone acetonide agent to the eye for the treatment or prevention of ocular conditions. The triamcinolone acetonide agent may be administered by iontophoretic or passive diffusion techniques. The condition that can be treated or prevented includes macular edema, age-related macular degeneration, uveitis, retinitis, eye cancers, glaucoma, and others. The invention also provides a system that includes an ocular device with a drug reservoir and a triamcinolone acetonide agent, as well as an enhancer reservoir containing a vasoconstricting agent."

Problems solved by technology

If left untreated, uveitis leads to blindness.

Treatments of intermediate and posterior uveitis are complicated by the inaccessibility of the posterior eye to topically applied medications.

Therefore large systemic doses are needed to treat intermediate and posterior uveitis, which often result in systemic toxicities including immunosuppression, adrenal suppression, ulcerogenesis, fluid and electrolyte imbalances, fat redistribution and psychological disorders.

Intravitreal injections are necessary because periocular injections and systemic administration do not deliver efficacious amounts of antibiotics to the target sites in the eye.

While intravitreal and periocular injections are preferable to systemic administration, the half-life of most injected compounds in the vitreous is relatively short, usually on the scale of just a few hours.

Therefore, intravitreal injections require frequent administration.

The repeated injections can cause pain, discomfort, intraocular pressure increases, intraocular bleeding, increased chances for infection, and the possibility of retinal detachment.

The major complication of periocular injections is accidental perforation of the globe, which causes pain, retinal detachment, ocular hypertension, and intraocular hemorrhage.

Therefore, these methods of ocular drug delivery into the posterior of the eye have significant limitations and major drawbacks.

In addition, injections are very poorly accepted by patients.

These methods also involve high healthcare cost due to the involvement of skilled and experienced physicians to perform the injections.

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