Bioerodible drug delivery devices
This invention relates to a bioerodible drug delivery device that can be implanted in a patient at or near an area in need of treatment. The bioerodible drug delivery device can be used to deliver a wide variety of different pharmaceutically active agents, and can do so at a controlled rate and over an extended period of time. The bioerodible drug delivery device includes a bioerodible polymeric outer housing with one or more delivery ports for delivering the pharmaceutically active agent(s) contained therein. The polymer used as the bioerodible polymeric outer housing is not substantially degraded during the dosing of the pharmaceutically active agent(s) in the bioerodible drug delivery device. The invention also provides methods of making the bioerodible drug delivery device and using it for the treatment of diseases and disorders.
1 . A method of treating an eye disease or disorder in a patient, the method comprising
identifying an area of a patient's eye in need of treatment;
implanting a bioerodible drug delivery device in sufficient proximity to the area in need of treatment to provide therapeutic relief, wherein the bioerodible drug delivery device comprises
a bioerodible drug core comprising a pharmaceutically active agent and a bioerodible polymer,
a bioerodible outer member comprising polycaprolactone that substantially surrounds the drug core, and
a plurality of delivery ports in the bioerodible outer member that are permeable to the pharmaceutically active agent;
wherein the device is configured to be injected into the vitreous of the patient's eye; and
wherein the bioerodible outer member is configured to provide a substantially constant dosing rate of the pharmaceutically active agent for six months to one year.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioerodible outer member further comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polylactic acid, poly-glycolic acid and polyvinyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the drug core comprises a bioerodible polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polylactic acid, poly-glycolic acid and polyvinyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically active agent is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioerodible outer member is tubular.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically active agent is emitted from the plurality of delivery ports.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically active agent is a corticosteroid.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is designed to fit through a needle with a gauge of 25 or larger.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the drug core is heat treated during manufacturing.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is heat treated during manufacturing.
11 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the eye disease or disorder is selected from the group consisting of: glaucoma, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, diabetic macular edema, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, ocular neovascularization, retinal vein occlusion, geographic atrophy, and ocular infection.