Drug delivery system and methods of treating open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension
Inventors
Cadden, Suzanne • Hao, Yong • Utkhede, Deepank
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9974685-B2
Publication Date
2018-05-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of decreasing intraocular pressure (IOP) in an eye of a patient in need thereof includes implanting a first lacrimal implant through an upper punctum and into an upper lacrimal canaliculus of the eye of the patient. The method may further comprise implanting a second lacrimal implant through a lower punctum and into a lower lacrimal canaliculus of the eye of the patient, and releasing, on a sustained basis a therapeutically effective amount of an intraocular pressure-reducing therapeutic agent.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method of treating a patient with Open Angle Glaucoma (OAG) or Ocular Hypertension (OH) in an eye by administering a unit dosage of a prostaglandin analog over a treatment period. The prostaglandin analog is administered from a lacrimal implant comprising a sustained release formulation, and the prostaglandin analog is released in a therapeutically effective dose from the lacrimal implant over the treatment period.
The method further uses a punctum placement arrangement in which the lacrimal implant is inserted into one punctum while a blank lacrimal implant that does not comprise a therapeutic agent is inserted into the opposite punctum. The arrangement is defined as either the lacrimal implant inserted into a lower punctum and the blank lacrimal implant inserted into an upper punctum, or the lacrimal implant inserted into an upper punctum and the blank lacrimal implant inserted into a lower punctum.
The lacrimal implant is characterized by a multi-member, angled intersection geometry and an insertion-accessible bore. The implant comprises a first member defining a first axis with a first end, a second member defining a second axis with a second end, and a third member connecting the first end and the second end at a first angle to form an angled intersection; the third member has an upper surface and a bore extending from the upper surface into the third member.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent methods directed to treating OAG or OH using sustained-release prostaglandin analog delivered from lacrimal implants with a defined upper/lower punctum arrangement and a specific angled multi-member implant geometry with an insertion-accessible bore. Across the independent claims, there are three main inventive feature groups: sustained-release prostaglandin analog delivery via a lacrimal implant, the upper/lower punctum arrangement with a blank lacrimal implant, and the structured implant configuration enabling insertion.
Sustained-release prostaglandin analog from a lacrimal implant
Providing a unit dosage of a prostaglandin analog to an eye over a treatment period, wherein the prostaglandin analog is administered from a lacrimal implant comprising a sustained release formulation and released in a therapeutically effective dose over the treatment period.
Upper/lower punctum combination with a blank lacrimal implant
Inserting the lacrimal implant into a lower punctum and inserting a blank lacrimal implant that does not comprise a therapeutic agent into an upper punctum; or inserting the lacrimal implant into an upper punctum and inserting the blank lacrimal implant into a lower punctum.
Angled multi-member lacrimal implant with insertion-accessible bore
The lacrimal implant comprises a first member defining a first axis and having a first end; a second member defining a second axis and having a second end; and a third member connecting the first end and the second end at a first angle to form an angled intersection, the third member having an upper surface and a bore defining a third axis and a second angle, where the bore is configured to be accessible to an insertion tool and extends from the upper surface into the third member.
Across the independent claims, the inventive focus is delivering a unit dosage of a prostaglandin analog as a sustained release from a lacrimal implant, using an upper/lower punctum arrangement that includes a blank lacrimal implant lacking a therapeutic agent, and employing a defined angled multi-member implant geometry with an insertion-accessible bore accessible to an insertion tool.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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