Traditionally, ocular medications have been delivered through eye drops, intravitreal injections and systemic means. Now, various implants are being developed to deliver drugs for numerous indications. The main impetus for drug-eluting devices, especially in glaucoma, is patient noncompliance with dosing protocols, Steven D. Vold, MD, said....

Iluvien for diabetic macular edema significantly improved visual acuity in two phase 3 pivotal clinical trials, manufacturer pSivida announced in a press release. Alimera Sciences, pSivida's collaborative partner, plans to submit a new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the second quarter of 2010, according to...

A combined age-related macular degeneration solution and drug delivery system showed promising results in a phase 1b clinical trial, manufacturers MacuCLEAR and Mystic Pharmaceuticals announced. The two firms formed a partnership to conduct clinical trials of the drug and delivery system. Trial results showed that MacuCLEAR's MC-1101, a...

Bilateral same-day injection of anti-VEGF agents appears to be a safe management strategy for age-related macular degeneration presenting in both eyes. Bilateral presentation of wet AMD is not an uncommon problem, but scheduling staggered injections may prove challenging, Sundeep Dev, MD, said at Retina Congress 2009. In a retrospective...

Systemic infusion of Avastin (bevacizumab) may be offered to some patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who refuse or cannot receive intravitreal injections, according to a study. The strategy may be especially advantageous for patients with bilateral neovascularization; however, "due to its systemic side effects, expensive...

A prospective survey of patients undergoing Lucentis (ranibizumab) intravitreal injection finds that the procedure was less painful than anticipated. Lucentis intravitreous injection has emerged as a common treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Despite the therapeutic benefits of Lucentis, repeated injections are required as...

A small retrospective series of patients with limited follow-up undergoing simultaneous bilateral intravitreal injections of a variety of medications for an assortment of ocular conditions reports that the procedure was well tolerated by all patients, and that given a choice none of the patients requested alternating unilateral injections after...

In the development of a pharmacological therapy for choroidal neovascularization (CNV), nanomedical devices can be helpful to achieve a high local concentration of a drug with minimal systemic adverse effects. A liposome is a tiny bubble (vesicle), made out of the same material as a cell membrane (phospholipids). Liposomes usually contain a...

A new study using rabbits reports that encapsulating Avastin (bevacizumab) in liposomes can prolong its retention within the vitreous. Intravitreal injections can cause several ocular complications, including vitreous hemorrhage, endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, and cataract, and clearly repeated injections can multiply the risk of these...

MacuCLEAR has entered into a collaboration agreement with Mystic Pharmaceuticals to conduct a phase 1/2 clinical trial of its lead compound for treating dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a press release from MacuCLEAR, the developer of the drug. The trial will evaluate the effects of the compound, called MC1101, when...