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Review
. 2024 Oct 12;16(10):1325.
doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16101325.

Advancements in Ocular Therapy: A Review of Emerging Drug Delivery Approaches and Pharmaceutical Technologies

Bhupendra Raj Giri  1 , Deeksha Jakka  2 , Michael A Sandoval  1 , Vineet R Kulkarni  1 , Quanying Bao  3
Affiliations
Review

Advancements in Ocular Therapy: A Review of Emerging Drug Delivery Approaches and Pharmaceutical Technologies

Bhupendra Raj Giri et al. Pharmaceutics. .

Abstract

Eye disorders affect a substantial portion of the global population, yet the availability of efficacious ophthalmic drug products remains limited. This can be partly ascribed to a number of factors: (1) inadequate understanding of physiological barriers, treatment strategies, drug and polymer properties, and delivery systems; (2) challenges in effectively delivering drugs to the anterior and posterior segments of the eye due to anatomical and physiological constraints; and (3) manufacturing and regulatory hurdles in ocular drug product development. The present review discusses innovative ocular delivery and treatments, encompassing implants, liposomes, nanoparticles, nanomicelles, microparticles, iontophoresis, in situ gels, contact lenses, microneedles, hydrogels, bispecific antibodies, and gene delivery strategies. Furthermore, this review also introduces advanced manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing and hot-melt extrusion (HME), aimed at improving bioavailability, reducing therapeutic dosages and side effects, facilitating the design of personalized ophthalmic dosage forms, as well as enhancing patient compliance. This comprehensive review lastly offers insights into digital healthcare, market trends, and industry and regulatory perspectives pertaining to ocular product development.

Keywords: 3D printing (3DP); drug delivery; hot-melt extrusion (HME); ocular therapy; physiological barriers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A summary of the key barriers and their properties impeding ocular drug delivery.
Figure 2
Figure 2
An illustration depicting the interaction of cationic liposomes on the cornea with the negatively charged mucin layer. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 3 August 2024).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ophthalmic drug delivery using in situ gelling polymer systems. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 3 August 2024).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Different types of microneedles for ocular drug delivery. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 3 August 2024).
Figure 5
Figure 5
A schematic representation of subretinal gene therapy. Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 3 August 2024).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Schematic diagram of different types of 3D printing (3DP) technologies: (A) fused deposition modeling (FDM), (B) semi-solid extrusion (SSE), (C) stereolithography (SLA), and (D) digital light processing (DLP). Created with BioRender.com (accessed on 27 August 2024).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Various ocular dosage forms fabricated using different 3D printing technologies.
Figure 8
Figure 8
A schematic representation of critical hot-melt extrusion steps and ocular dosage forms manufactured with HME technology.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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