# US 2018/0116869 A1 · Methods of delivering an agent to the eye > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0116869 A1 - Document ID: US20180116869A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/572,274 - Filed: 2016-05-06 - Published: 2018-05-03 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-07 - Assignees: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary - Applicants: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary - Inventors: Jason Comander; Dean Eliott; Leo Kim; Luk H. Vandenberghe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180116869A1 ## CPC - A61F 9/0008: {Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein (putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00)} - A61F 9/00736: {Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments (A61F9/008 takes precedence)} - A61F 9/00727: {Apparatus for retinal reattachment} - A61K 31/573: substituted in position 21, e.g. cortisone, dexamethasone, prednisone or aldosterone - A61K 49/0034: {Indocyanine green, i.e. ICG, cardiogreen} - A61K 49/006: {Biological staining of tissues in vivo, e.g. methylene blue or toluidine blue O administered in the buccal area to detect epithelial cancer cells, dyes used for delineating tissues during surgery} - C12N 2750/14242: virus or viral particle as vehicle, e.g. encapsulating small organic molecule - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) ## Abstract Methods of delivering agents to structures within the eye are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of delivering an agent to the retina, the method comprising: removing at least a portion of the vitreous fluid from the eye; removing at least a portion of the inner limiting membrane (ILM) to expose a section of the retina; applying a composition comprising an agent to the exposed section of the retina; introducing a non-diluting, fluid replacement material into the eye; and maintaining the position of the agent on the exposed retina for a time sufficient to allow the agent to enter cells in the retina; thereby delivering the agent to the retina. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 50% of the vitreous fluid from the eye is removed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 80% of the vitreous fluid from the eye is removed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a fluid detection agent into the eye prior to or during the step of removing at least a portion of the vitreous fluid from the eye. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the fluid detection agent is triamcinolone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the ILM is surgically removed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the ILM is enzymatically removed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the ILM that is removed is from about 4 degrees diameter to about 40 degrees diameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the ILM that is removed is from about 0.62 mm2 to about 62 mm2. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ILM is visualized with an ILM-visualization material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the ILM-visualization material is indocyanine green (ICG). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a concentrated solution of the agent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises from about 50% to about 95% of the agent. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a viscoelastic composition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of a viral delivery vector, a non-viral delivery vector, an antibody, a cell, a small molecule, a nanoparticle, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the viral delivery vector is selected from the group consisting of adeno-associated virus (AAV), ancestral AAV, adenovirus, lentivirus, retrovirus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), and baculovirus. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the non-diluting, fluid replacement material is selected from the group consisting of C3F8, SF6, air, nitrogen, oxygen, perfluoro-n-octane, and silicone oil. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step comprises maintaining the position of the agent on the exposed retina for at least about 1 minute. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step comprises maintaining the position of the agent on the exposed retina for at least about 30 minutes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step comprises maintaining the eye in a fixed position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step comprises maintaining a subject in a supine position. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining step comprises maintaining a subject in a prone position. ### Claim 24 A method of delivering an agent to a structure in the eye, the method comprising: removing at least a portion of an eye fluid that contacts or covers a structure in the eye to expose a section of the structure; applying a composition comprising an agent to the exposed section of the structure; introducing a non-diluting, fluid replacement material into the eye; and maintaining the position of the agent on the structure for a time sufficient to allow the agent to enter cells in the structure; thereby delivering the agent to the structure in the eye. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the eye fluid comprises aqueous humour or vitreous fluid. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the eye fluid is vitreous fluid. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein at least about 50% of the eye fluid is removed. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein at least about 80% of the eye fluid is removed. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising introducing a fluid detection agent into the eye prior to or during the step of removing at least a portion of the eye fluid. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of a viral delivery vector, a non-viral delivery vector, an antibody, a cell, a small molecule, a nanoparticle, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the viral delivery vector is selected from the group consisting of adeno-associated virus (AAV), ancestral AAV, adenovirus, lentivirus, retrovirus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), and baculovirus. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the non-diluting, fluid replacement material is selected from the group consisting of C3F8, SF6, air, nitrogen, oxygen, perfluoro-n-octane, and silicone oil.