Pharmacologic and clinical profile of dexamethasone intravitreal implant

Abstract

The challenge in the treatment of chronic retinal diseases is to deliver effective therapy to the target tissues in the back of the eye while limiting drug exposure in nontarget tissues. Intravitreal placement provides the most targeted drug delivery, but repeated penetration of the globe to deliver intravitreal therapy can pose safety risks. A more effective strategy for the treatment of chronic retinal diseases would be to combine intravitreal placement with sustained drug delivery. The dexamethasone intravitreal (DEX) implant is a biodegradable sustained-release intravitreal drug delivery system that is approved for the treatment of macular edema following branch or central retinal vein occlusion and for noninfectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye. A single DEX implant has been shown to provide clinical benefits for up to 6 months in eyes with retinal vein occlusion or intermediate or posterior uveitis.

Keywords::

• bioavailability
• corticosteroids
• degeneration
• dexamethasone
• inflammation
• intraocular
• polymer matrix
• visual acuity
• vitreous

Financial & competing interests disclosure

M Robinson and S Whitcup are employees of Allergan, Inc. The authors have no other 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 apart from those disclosed.

Professional writing assistance was provided by Amy Lindsay at Lindsay Biomedical Communications, Inc. and was funded by Allergan, Inc.