Topical treatment or prevention of ocular infections

Abstract

The topical application of an azalide antibiotic such as azithromycin to the eye is useful in treating or preventing ocular infections. In one embodiment, the azalide antibiotic is supplied to the eye in a depot for sustained release. A more convenient dosing regimen can also be provided by the use of an appropriate depot. Furthermore, a composition containing a combination of medicaments is also provided.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 898,170, filed Jul. 26, 2004, pending, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 407,425, filed Apr. 7, 2003, pending, which is a continuation of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 767,943, filed Jan. 24, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,443, which is continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 346,923, filed Jul. 2, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,113, which is a continuation-in-part of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 282,165, filed Mar. 31, 1999, abandoned, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a method for treating or preventing infections in the eye and to compositions useful therein.[0004]2. Description of the Related Arts[0005]The eye is susceptible to bacterial and parasitic infections arising from both traumatic and non-traumatic rel...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]A preferred form of the invention involves forming or supplying a depot of the azalide antibiotic in contact with the eye for a sufficient length of time to allow a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the azalide antibiotic to diffuse into the cells of the targeted eye tissue(s). Once the MIC threshold has been surpassed, a therapeutically effective concentration of the azalide antibiotic will remain in the tissue(s) for a considerable period of time due to its long half-life. Accordingly, an advantage of certain preferred forms of the present invention is a simplified dosing regimen. For example, one or two topical applications may provide a sufficient tissue concentration that an inhibitory concentration remains resident in the infected tissue for several days, i.e. 4-12 days. Thus, a complete treatment regimen may involve only one or two topical applications.

Problems solved by technology

The eye is susceptible to bacterial and parasitic infections arising from both traumatic and non-traumatic related events.

However, even without the invasive trauma of a surgical procedure, infections in the eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea, and other ocular tissues can arise.

Treating infections in ocular tissues can be challenging and / or problematic because of the difficulty in delivering an antibiotic to the affected tissue.

However, for a variety of reasons, many antibiotics are not amenable or suitable for topical application to the eye.

Many drugs do not possess a requisite penetration ability with regard to the tissues of the eye.

Thus, while a certain drug may be readily absorbed in the intestines and introduced into the blood supply for systemic administration, the same drug may be incapable of being absorbed by or passing through the substantially avascular outer layers of the conjunctiva or cornea at a minimally acceptable therapeutic concentration.

Another concern is that the antibiotic will be toxic to the eye.

Toxicity is especially problematic for topical administration because it is a concentration dependent phenomenon.

Thus, while a drug may be non-toxic at the minimum effective concentration, the 500% to 1000% increase in concentration associated with topical administration may well induce a toxic response.

Again, the fact that oral or systemic administration shows the drug to be compatible with ocular tissue does not predict or address the toxicity issue associated with topical administration.

A further potential unsuitability of an antibiotic is the practicality of topical administration by the patient.

Assuming that sufficiently high concentrations of the antibiotic can be used to achieve an effective dose within the target tissue without a toxic response, the application may nonetheless be irritating.

However, the dosing of the known topical antibiotics is usually an extensive and inconvenient regimen.

But, such an extensive dosing regimen is inconvenient and obtaining patient compliance can be difficult.

Of course, the greater the non-compliance with the regimen, the less effective the treatment.

Images