Methods of treatment with an ocular implant containing a tyrosine kinase inhibitor

1. A method of treating an ocular disease in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the patient a sustained release biodegradable ocular implant comprising a hydrogel and a dose of axitinib from about 150 μg to about 1200 μg, wherein the axitinib is dispersed within the hydrogel, and wherein the implant in its dry state prior to implantation is cylindrical; has a length of about 6 mm to about 17 mm and a diameter of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm; and has a total implant weight of about 0.2 mg to about 1.5 mg.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant comprises axitinib in an amount of about 480 μg to about 750 μg.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant comprises axitinib in an amount of about 160 μg to about 250 μg.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant in its dry state has a total weight of about 0.4 mg to about 1.2 mg.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is cylindrical and has a ratio of the diameter in the hydrated state to the diameter in the dry state of less than about 5.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is cylindrical and has a ratio of the length in the dry state to the length in the hydrated state of greater than about 0.7.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant provides for the release of axitinib at an average rate of about 0.25 μg to about 2.5 μg per day in phosphate-buffered saline at a pH of 7.2 and 37° C. for a period of 30 days under non-sink simulated physiological conditions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant provides for the release of axitinib for a period from about 3 months to about 38 months after administration.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant provides for the release of axitinib for a period of about 6 to about 9 months after administration.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel comprises polyethylene glycol (PEG) units.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hydrogel comprises PEG units that have a number average molecular weight of about 20,000 Daltons.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hydrogel comprises crosslinked PEG units and the crosslinks between the PEG units include a group represented by the following formula

wherein m is an integer from 0 to 10.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein m is 6.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the PEG units comprise 4-arm and/or 8-arm PEG units.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the axitinib is in the form of particles having a d90 particle size of less than about 30 μm as determined by laser diffraction.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant in its dry state contains from about 200 μg to about 900 μg axitinib per mm 3 .

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant in its dry state contains from about 60% to about 75% by weight axitinib and from about 21% to about 31% by weight PEG units (dry composition).

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant in its dry state contains from about 45% to about 55% by weight axitinib and from about 37% to about 47% by weight PEG units (dry composition).

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ocular disease is a retinal disease.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the retinal disease is selected from neovascular age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, choroidal neovascularization, acute macular neuroretinopathy, central serous chorioretinopathy, cystoid macular edema or a combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the retinal disease is neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the retinal disease is diabetic macular edema or diabetic retinopathy.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the retinal disease is retinal vein occlusion.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is injected by a needle for injection.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the needle for injection is a needle that has a gauge size of 22 to 30.

26. The method according to claim 1 , wherein concurrently or in combination with the treatment with the sustained release ocular implant an anti-VEGF agent is administered to the patient.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein an anti-VEGF agent is administered in combination with the implant, and is administered within about 1, about 2 or about 3 months from the administration of the implant.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the anti-VEGF agent is selected from the group consisting of aflibercept, bevacizumab, pegaptanib, ranibizumab, and brolucizumab and is administered by intravitreous injection.

29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the implant is administered by injection into the vitreous humor and the axitinib dose administered per eye once during a treatment period of at least 3 months is from about 480 μg to about 750 μg axitinib and is contained in one implant.