Preface

Abstract

Diseases of the eye range from transient conditions such as styes, blepharitis and conjunctivitis to chronic debilitating conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Ocular drug formulation requirements therefore depend on the target tissue/disease, physicochemical properties of the drug and clinician/patient acceptability. In addition, recent advances in biotechnology have meant that many emerging therapies are biologics, such as nucleic acids and recombinant therapeutic proteins, which have inherent stability and formulation issues. To accommodate these complex formulation requirements, drug delivery to the eye has evolved from simple eye drops to more complex delivery systems, such as cell encapsulating systems (Neurotech, Inc., USA) that deliver therapeutic proteins. Implants fabricated using novel biodegradable polymers are also emerging to provide targeted and sustained delivery of encapsulated therapeutics. The use of less invasive fabrication techniques such as 3-D printing and electrospinning nanofibers are also gaining attention to enhance the stability of nucleic acid and peptide therapeutics. However, the long-term ocular toxicity of these novel biomaterials should be further investigated using appropriate in-vivo models. Novel routes of drug delivery are also being investigated to develop formulations more acceptable to patients and clinicians. These novel routes (e.g. suprachoroidal administration) have the potential to reduce complications associated with current therapies and enhance drug bioavailability in the target tissue.