# US 9,039,761 B2 · Ocular implant delivery assemblies with distal caps > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,761 B2 - Document ID: US9039761B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/552,630 - Filed: 2006-10-25 - Published: 2008-02-07 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2006-08-04 - Assignees: Allergan, Inc. - Applicants: John T. Trogden; Robert T. Lyons; James N. Chang; Michael R. Robinson; Werhner C. Orilla - Inventors: John T. Trogden; Robert T. Lyons; James N. Chang; Michael R. Robinson; Werhner C. Orilla - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039761B2 ## CPC - A61F 9/0017: {implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts} - A61K 9/0051: {Ocular inserts or implants} - 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) ## Abstract Ocular implant delivery assemblies are provided which include a cannula having a lumen extending therethrough, a proximal end, a proximal end opening, a distal end, a distal end opening, and a lumen extending through the cannula. A cap is provided having a closed distal end, being in contact with the outer wall of the cannula, and covering the distal end and the distal end opening of the cannula, the cap being structured to allow the distal end and the distal end opening of the cannula to pass through the cap as the cannula is passed into an eye. An ocular implant is located in the lumen. The implant may be sealed in the cannula without the addition of a liquid carrier or it may be contained in a liquid carrier medium in the cannula. The implant may be made up of a number of microparticles having different compositions or different forms. The assembly also includes a sleeve located on the proximal end of the cannula and suitable for coupling the assembly to a syringe containing a pushing gel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ocular implant delivery assembly comprising: (a) a cannula having an outer wall, a proximal end, a proximal end opening, a distal end, a distal end opening, and a lumen extending through the cannula; (b) an ocular implant sized and structured for implantation in an eye, the ocular implant comprising polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, and bimatoprost; (c) a distal closure element having a bioerodible polymeric plug adapted to be passed into the eye, located in the lumen and closing the distal end opening of the cannula; (d) a proximal closure element closing the proximal end opening of the cannula; and (e) a clear, circular cap having a closed distal end, being in contact with the outer wall of the cannula, and covering the distal end and the distal end opening of the cannula, the cap being structured (i) to allow the distal end and the distal end opening of the cannula to pass through the cap as the cannula is passed into an eye and ii) to move proximally along the cannula as the cannula is passed into the eye; wherein the proximal end of the cannula is adapted to receive a syringe assembly, and the ocular implant is located in the lumen between the distal closure element and the proximal closure element, and wherein the bioerodible polymeric plug comprises a material selected from the group consisting of cellulose and cellulosic derivatives. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the cannula is a 25 gauge or higher gauge syringe needle, and wherein the bioerodible polymeric plug comprises a cellulosic derivative. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the cellulosic derivative is hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the proximal closure element comprises a bioerodible proximal plug. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the ocular implant comprises a plurality of particles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5 wherein the plurality of particles includes a number of particles in a range of about 5 to about 200. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5 wherein the plurality of particles includes particles having different compositions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5 wherein the plurality of particles comprise particles having different release rates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the ocular implant comprises a plurality of particles in a one-by-one array along a length of the lumen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the ocular implant comprises a plurality of particles selected from the group consisting of spheres, rods, filaments, plaques and combinations thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the ocular implant comprises a plurality of substantially uniformly sized microspheres. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein the lumen has a diameter of less than about 350 microns. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a carrier medium located in the cannula. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13 wherein the ocular implant comprises a plurality of particles in contact with the carrier medium in the lumen. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 wherein substantially no liquid material is present in the lumen with the ocular implant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 which further comprises a syringe assembly coupled to the proximal end of the cannula and effective, when activated, in passing the ocular implant out of the cannula. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1 which further comprises a push-rod assembly coupled to the cannula and effective, when activated, in passing the ocular implant out of the distal end opening of the cannula. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method of implanting an ocular implant into an eye comprising: providing an ocular implant delivery assembly according to claim 17, passing at least a portion of the cannula into the eye; and applying a force to urge the implant distally, thereby placing the implant in the eye. ### Claim 19 An ocular implant delivery assembly comprising: (a) a cannula having an outer wall, a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending through the cannula, the cannula having an outer diameter no larger than a 25 gauge syringe needle; (b) an ocular implant sized and structured for implantation in an eye, the ocular implant comprising polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, a corticosteroid, and being located in the lumen of the cannula; (c) a distal bioerodible plug adapted to be passed into the eye, located in the lumen and sealing the distal end of the cannula; (d) a proximal bioerodible plug located in the lumen and sealing the proximal end opening of the cannula; (e) a syringe assembly coupled to the proximal end of the cannula; and (f) a clear, circular cap having a closed distal end, being in contact with the outer wall of the cannula, and covering the distal end and the distal end opening of the cannula, the cap being structured (i) to allow the distal end and the distal end opening of the cannula to pass through the cap as the cannula is passed into an eye and ii) to move proximally along the cannula as the cannula is passed into the eye; wherein the ocular implant is located in the lumen between the proximal bioerodible plug and the distal bioerodible plug, and wherein each of the proximal bioerodible plug and the distal bioerodible plug comprise a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of cellulose and cellulosic derivatives. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The assembly of claim 19 wherein the polymeric material is hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC).