Punctal plugs containing micelle-encapsulated ophthalmic pharmaceuticals and methods for making thereof
OwnerEyal SHEETRIT, Guy TOMERinventors
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Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure provide devices containing micelle-encapsulated ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Some embodiments are directed to punctal plug devices comprising: a plurality of micelles containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient; a quantity of fumed silica; and a quantity of a binder. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides methods of producing or making the punctal plugs described here.
Claims9
A device, comprising:
- a plurality of micelles containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient;
- a quantity of fumed silica;
- and
- a quantity of a binder,
- wherein the device is in the form of a punctal plug, and
- wherein the device includes between 5% and 30% of the active pharmaceutical ingredient by weight.
The device of embodiment 1, further comprising a quantity of a clay.
The device of embodiment 2, wherein the clay is kaolin.
The device of embodiment 2, wherein the device includes between 5% and 15% of the clay by weight.
The device of embodiment 1, wherein the device includes between 10% and 30% of the fumed silica by weight.
The device of embodiment 1, wherein the binder is an epoxy.
The device of embodiment 1, wherein the device includes between 20% and 60% of the binder by weight.
A method, comprising:
- providing a plurality of micelles containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient;
- suspending fumed silica in an alcohol to produce a suspension;
- drying the suspension to produce dried silica;
- milling the dried silica to produce milled silica;
- mixing the micelles, the milled silica, and an epoxy resin to produce a paste;
- placing the paste in a mold;
- and
- curing the molded paste to produce punctal plugs.
The method of embodiment 8, wherein the step of providing the micelles containing the active pharmaceutical ingredient comprises sub-steps of:
- preparing a dispersion of a surfactant in a buffer;
- dissolving the active pharmaceutical ingredient in an alcohol to produce an active pharmaceutical ingredient solution;
- mixing the active pharmaceutical ingredient solution with the dispersion and adding an additional quantity of an alcohol to produce a mixture;
- stirring the mixture until the alcohol evaporates to produce the mixture without alcohol;
- and
- freezing the mixture without alcohol and lyophilizing to produce the micelles containing the active pharmaceutical ingredient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.