Nanoparticle‐based sustained drug delivery for the treatment of ocular neovascular diseases

Abstract

Aims/Purpose: Nanoparticles have shown great potential as a drug delivery system for the treatment of neovascular ocular diseases characterized by the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina. The current standard of therapy for neovascular ocular diseases involves administering monoclonal antibody‐based anti‐VEGF drugs via intravitreal injections on a periodic basis. The short half‐lives of these drugs necessitate frequent injections, which can limit the effectiveness of the treatments. Hence, there is a need to develop new approaches for enhanced bioavailability and sustained and long‐lasting delivery of anti‐VEGF drugs. The aim of this study was to utilize poly (glycerol sebacate) (PGS) nanoparticles to achieve an extended release of anti‐VEGF (anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor) drugs, with the objective of reducing the frequency of intravitreal injections required for treatment.Methods: Double emulsion solvent evaporation method was utilized for the synthesis of PGS nanoparticles. Nanoparticle size and polydispersity index (PDI) were determined with dynamic light scattering method.Results: Nanoparticles were synthesized with a size of approximately 150 nm and PDI less than 0.3. The encapsulation efficiency of nanoparticles loaded with anti‐VEGF drugs was found to be 74%. The 30% drug release from nanoparticles in the first 2 months indicates that nanoparticles are a promising candidate for sustained drug release applications. Cell‐viability studies showed that anti‐VEGF drug‐loaded nanoparticles did not exhibit toxicity to ARPE‐19 cells, but they did exhibit anti‐angiogenesis properties by inhibiting the growth of HUVEC cells in a concentration‐dependent manner.Conclusions: The development of new‐generation materials for the storage and preservation of anti‐VEGF drugs, as well as their enhancement with prolonged release, will considerably improve the efficacy of long‐term treatment strategies for ocular neovascular diseases.