Advanced Self-gelling Devices Based on Elastin like Polymer for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery

ALICIA FERNÁNDEZ-COLINO, , J, , ; DANIELA QUINTEROS; JOSÉ M. BERMUDEZ,; SANTIAGO D. PALMA; ALESSANDRA GIROTTI; EDUARDO PÉREZ DEL RIO,; FRANCISCO JAVIER ARIAS.

Cancun

Congreso; SLAP ? Simposio Latinoamerocano de Polimeros; 2016

SLAP

The development of topical ophthalmic formulations for the treatment of eye diseases such as glaucoma, present a challenge, since most drugs are hardly absorbed, having bioavailabilities from 1-10%. Among other factors, such low bioavailability is consequence of a rapid and extensive loss of the formulation from the pre-corneal area due to the turnover of the lacrimal drainage. An alternative to increase the residence time of formulations in the area of application is the use of gel-based bioadhesive devices1. Taking this into account, here we developed an elastin-like and a silk-elastin like recombinamers2,3, named respectively as ELR and SELR, for their incorporation in an ophthalmic formulation against glaucoma. Our hypothesis is that due to the thermo-sensitive behavior of these materials, the formulation could be administered topically and once sensing the temperature of the eye, suffer a shift to a gel system, which could help to prolong the permanence of the formulation in the eye, improve the bioavailability and therefore, could enhance the therapeutic effect.