Microneedles for Ocular Drug Delivery

Statement of Purpose: Targeted drug delivery into the eye is a challenging task because of a variety of barriers that prevent safe and effective delivery. Topical application to the eye is hindered by low residence time resulting in poor diffusion of drug into intraocular tissues. Intravitreal injection can deliver drugs to the retina effectively but is invasive and carries risk of infection. In this study, we aim to assess the capability of a novel drug delivery device, the microneedle, to deliver drugs to the eye in a minimally invasive yet effective way. We examine whether microneedles can deliver to the posterior segment (i.e., intrascleral and suprachoroidal) and the anterior segment (i.e., intracorneal). We asses whether microneedles can deliver a fluid and suspension of nanoparticles or microparticles targeted to these regions in a minimally invasive way.