Intraocular delivery devices and methods therefor
Injection devices for delivering pharmaceutical compositions into the eye are described. Some devices include a resistance component for controllably deploying an injection needle through the eye wall. The resistance component may be disposed on a removable injector attachment or on a portion of the injection device housing. Other devices may include a filter for the removal of air, infectious agents, and/or other particulate matter from the composition before the composition is injected into the eye. Related methods and systems comprising the devices are also described.
1. An injector attachment for connection to an injection device housing comprising:
an input port configured to removably mate with a distal end of a syringe;
a conduit having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the conduit proximate and fluidly connected to the input port;
a dynamic sleeve concentrically disposed about the conduit and having a distal end and a fixed axial length;
an atraumatic ocular contact surface at the dynamic sleeve distal end;
a measuring component on the atraumatic ocular contact surface, the measuring component comprising a plurality of radially extending members, each of the radially extending members comprising substantially the same shape and length and configured to measure a precise distance between the distal end of the conduit and an anatomical landmark of a patient's surface tissue; and
a clip positioned between a distal end of the input port and a proximal end of the dynamic sleeve
wherein the dynamic sleeve is movable between a first configuration in which the conduit extends distally beyond the dynamic sleeve distal end for intraocular injection and a second configuration in which the conduit is retracted completely within the dynamic sleeve.
2. The injector attachment of claim 1 , wherein the clip is removable from the injector attachment.
3. The injector attachment of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic sleeve is rigid.
4. The injector attachment of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic sleeve is non-deformable.
5. The injector attachment of claim 1 , further comprising a needle stabilization mechanism.
6. The injector attachment of claim 1 , further comprising one or more filters.
7. The injector attachment of claim 1 , further comprising a hydrophilic filter.
8. The injector attachment of claim 7 , further comprising a hydrophobic filter.
9. The injector attachment of claim 1 , further comprising a needle deployment indicator.
10. The injector attachment of claim 9 , wherein the needle deployment indicator comprises a high visibility dye.
11. A system for delivering a pharmaceutical formulation into an eye comprising:
the injector attachment of claim 1 ;
a housing; and
a drug reservoir disposed within the housing.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises a syringe.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the housing has a proximal end, a distal end, and a side wall, and comprises an actuation mechanism for delivering an active agent into an eye, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a plunger.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a plunger actuation lever fixedly attached to the plunger and extending through the side wall of the housing.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a back plunger.
16. The system of claim 11 , further comprising an active agent contained within the drug reservoir.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the active agent comprises an anti-VEGF agent selected from the group consisting of ranibizumab, bevacizumab, aflibercept, and modifications, derivatives, and analogs thereof, and combinations thereof.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the active agent comprises ranibizumab or bevacizumab.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the active agent comprises aflibercept, ocriplasmin, a steroid, ranibizumab, bevacizumab, a placenta-derived growth factor, a platelet-derived growth factor, or combinations thereof.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the active agent comprises an anti-complement agent.