Nanomicellar eye drops: a review of recent advances

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Research on nanotechnology in medicine has also involved the ocular field and nanomicelles are among the applications developed. This approach is used to increase both the water solubility of hydrophobic drugs and their penetration/permeation within/through the ocular tissues since nanomicelles are able to encapsulate insoluble drug into their core and their small size allows them to penetrate and/or diffuse through the aqueous pores of ocular tissues.

Areas covered

The present review reports the most significant and recent literature on the use of nanomicelles, made up of both surfactants and amphiphilic polymers, to overcome limitations imposed by the physiology of the eye in achieving a high bioavailability of drugs intended for the therapeutic areas of greatest commercial interest: dry eye, inflammation, and glaucoma.

Expert opinion

The results of the numerous studies in this field are encouraging and demonstrate that nanomicelles may be the answer to some of the challenges of ocular therapy. In the future, new molecules self-assembling into micelles will be able to meet the regulatory requirements for marketing authorization for their use in ophthalmic formulations.

KEYWORDS:

• Nanomicelles
• surfactants
• amphiphilic polymers
• dry eye syndrome
• ocular inflammation
• glaucoma

Article highlights

• The eye presents many barriers and protective mechanisms that significantly reduce the bioavailability of drugs administered topically.

• Largest categories of ophthalmic drugs on the market are used for the treatment of dry eye, inflammation, and glaucoma.

• Nanomicelles are obtained by self-assembly of surfactants and amphiphilic polymers.

• There are many examples of micellar formulations for drugs useful in the treatment of dry eye, ocular inflammation, and glaucoma.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.