Ocular Drug Delivery Devices

Abstract

A method of forming an ocular delivery device includes exposing a solid, shaped cellulose polymer to a solution including an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and a solvent capable of solubilizing the API, wherein the polymer absorbs at least a portion of the solution, including the API and solvent. The method may further include removing at least a portion of the absorbed solvent from the polymer by allowing the absorbed solvent to evaporate from the polymer or by drying the polymer. A variety of cellulose polymers may be used, including hydroxypropyl cellulose. A variety of APIs may be used, including Cyclosporine, Tobramycin and Vancomycin. Ocular delivery devices prepared by the methods may be used to treat a variety of eye disorders.

1 . A method of forming an ocular delivery device comprising:
 placing a solid, shaped cellulose polymer in a vessel adapted to restrict the swelling of the polymer in at least one direction;   exposing the polymer, while in said vessel, to a solution comprising an active pharmaceutical ingredient and a solvent capable of solubilizing said active pharmaceutical ingredient, wherein the polymer absorbs at least a portion of the solution, including the active pharmaceutical ingredient and solvent;   allowing the absorbed solvent to evaporate from the polymer or drying the polymer; and   freeing the polymer from the vessel.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shape and dimension of an interior surface of the vessel substantially matches the shape and dimension of an exterior surface of the polymer. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of the vessel is coated with a surface-release agent. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the absorbed solvent is allowed to evaporate from the polymer or wherein the polymer is dried to remove substantially all of the absorbed solvent from the polymer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising drying the polymer under vacuum. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, or a mixture of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is hydroxypropyl cellulose. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the active pharmaceutical ingredient is selected from the group consisting of Acebutolol, Acyclovir, Betaxolol, Bimatoprost, Brimonidine Tartrate, Brinzolamide, Bromfenac Sodium, Cefazolin, Cephalexin, Cephydroxil, Ciprofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin HCl, Cyclosporine, Dexamethasone, Dorzolamide HCl, Epinastine HCl, Erythromycin, Gancicylovir, Gatitloxacin, Gentamicin Sulfate, Ketorolac Tromethamine, Labetalol, Latanoprost, Loteprednol Etabonate, Moxifloxacin HCl, Nepafenac, Otloxacin, Olopatadine HCl, Penicillin, Pindolol, Prednisolone, Propanolol, Polymyxin B Sulfate/Trimethoprim Sulfate, Sulfacetamide Sodium, Timolol Maleate, Trifluorodine, Tobramycin, Travoprost, Vancomycin, Azelastine HCl, Atropine sulfate, Betamethasone, Carbachol, Pheniramine, Cromolyn sodium, Cyclopentolate, Demecarium bromide, Dexamethasone 21-phosphate, Erythromycin Base, Fluorometholone, Gatifloxacin, Homatropine, Hydroxyamphetamine, Idoxuridine, Medrysone, Methylprednisolone, Naphazoline, Resolvins, Phospholipids, Phenylephrine, Phospholine iodide, Prednisolone Acetate, Prednisolone Sodium Sulfate, Sulfisoxazole, Tetrahydrazoline HCl, Timolol, Tobramycin Sulfate, Tropicamide, 6-hydroxy-2-sulfamoylbenzo[b]thiophene, 6-acetoxy-2-sulfamoylbenzo[b]thiophene, 5,6-dihydro-4H-4-hydroxythieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2-sulfonamide-7,7-dioxide, and mixtures of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An ocular delivery device comprising:
 a solid, shaped, cellulose polymer, and   a therapeutically effective amount of an active pharmaceutical ingredient dispersed in the polymer, wherein the active pharmaceutical ingredient is selected from the group consisting of Acebutolol, Acyclovir, Betaxolol, Bimatoprost, Brimonidine Tartrate, Brinzolamide, Bromfenac Sodium, Cefazolin, Cephalexin, Cephydroxil, Ciprofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin HCl, Cyclosporine, Dexamethasone, Dorzolamide HCl, Epinastine HCl, Erythromycin, Gancicylovir, Gatifloxacin, Gentamicin Sulfate, Ketorolac Tromethamine, Labetalol, Latanoprost, Loteprednol Etabonate, Moxifloxacin HCl, Nepafenac, Ofloxacin, Olopatadine HCl, Penicillin, Pindolol, Prednisolone, Propanolol, Polymyxin B Sulfate/Trimethoprim Sulfate, Sulfacetamide Sodium, Timolol Maleate, Trifluorodine, Tobramycin, Travoprost, Vancomycin, Azelastine HCl, Atropine sulfate, Betamethasone, Carbachol, Pheniramine, Cromolyn sodium, Cyclopentolate, Demecarium bromide, Dexamethasone 21-phosphate, Erythromycin Base, Fluorometholone, Gatifloxacin, Homatropine, Hydroxyamphetamine, Idoxuridine, Medrysone, Methylprednisolone, Naphazoline, Resolvins, Phospholipids, Phenylephrine, Phospholine iodide, Prednisolone Acetate, Prednisolone Sodium Sulfate, Sulfisoxazole, Tetrahydrazoline HCl, Timolol, Tobramycin Sulfate, Tropicamide, 6-hydroxy-2-sulfamoylbenzo[b]thiophene, 6-acetoxy-2-sulfamoylbenzo[b]thiophene, 5,6-dihydro-4H-4-hydroxythieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2-sulfonamide-7,7-dioxide, and mixtures of any two or more thereof.   
     
     
         21 . The ocular delivery device of  claim 20 , wherein the active pharmaceutical ingredient is Vancomycin or a mixture of Vancomycin and Tobramycin. 
     
     
         22 . The ocular delivery device of  claim 20 , wherein the polymer comprises more than 30 wt % hydroxypropyl cellulose. 
     
     
         23 . The ocular delivery device of  claim 20 , wherein the polymer consists essentially of hydroxypropyl cellulose. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of treating an eye disorder, the method comprising:
 depositing one or more of the ocular delivery device of  claim 20  into an eye of a subject in need thereof.   
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the eye disorder comprises bacterial keratitis. 
     
     
         31 . The ocular delivery device of  claim 20 , wherein the solid, shaped, cellulose polymer comprises:
 a half-cylinder having a proximal end, a distal end, and a length.   
     
     
         32 . The ocular delivery device of  claim 31 , wherein the active pharmaceutical ingredient is Cyclosporine. 
     
     
         33 . A method of forming an ocular delivery device comprising an active pharmaceutical ingredient, the method comprising:
 placing a half-cylinder comprising a solid, cellulose polymer, in a trough; and   exposing the half-cylinder, to a solution comprising the active pharmaceutical ingredient and a solvent capable of solubilizing said active pharmaceutical ingredient, wherein the half-cylinder absorbs at least a portion of the solution, including the active pharmaceutical ingredient and the solvent,   and wherein the active pharmaceutical ingredient is selected from the group consisting of Acebutolol, Acyclovir, Betaxolol, Bimatoprost, Brimonidine Tartrate, Brinzolamide, Bromfenac Sodium, Cefazolin, Cephalexin, Cephydroxil, Ciprofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin HCl, Cyclosporine, Dexamethasone, Dorzolamide HCl, Epinastine HCl, Erythromycin, Gancicylovir, Gatifloxacin, Gentamicin Sulfate, Ketorolac Tromethamine, Labetalol, Latanoprost, Loteprednol Etabonate, Moxifloxacin HCl, Nepafenac, Ofloxacin, Olopatadine HCl, Penicillin, Pindolol, Prednisolone, Propanolol, Polymyxin B Sulfate/Trimethoprim Sulfate, Sulfacetamide Sodium, Timolol Maleate, Trifluorodine, Tobramycin, Travoprost, Vancomycin, Azelastine HCl, Atropine sulfate, Betamethasone, Carbachol, Pheniramine, Cromolyn sodium, Cyclopentolate, Demecarium bromide, Dexamethasone 21-phosphate, Erythromycin Base, Fluorometholone, Gatifloxacin, Homatropine, Hydroxyamphetamine, Idoxuridine, Medrysone, Methylprednisolone, Naphazoline, Resolvins, Phospholipids, Phenylephrine, Phospholine iodide, Prednisolone Acetate, Prednisolone Sodium Sulfate, Sulfisoxazole, Tetrahydrazoline HCl, Timolol, Tobramycin Sulfate, Tropicamide, 6-hydroxy-2-sulfamoylbenzo[b]thiophene, 6-acetoxy-2-sulfamoylbenzo[b]thiophene, 5,6-dihydro-4H-4-hydroxythieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2-sulfonamide-7,7-dioxide, and mixtures of any two or more thereof.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the trough maintains the shape of the half-cylinder during the exposing. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising allowing the absorbed solvent to evaporate from the half-cylinder, or drying the half-cylinder. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising freeing the ocular delivery device, from the trough. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . (canceled)