title: Drug delivery systems for vitreoretinal diseases.
abstract: The eye has an environment that is specific unto itself in terms of pharmacokinetics: the inner and outer blood-retinal barriers separate the retina and the vitreous from the systemic circulation and vitreous body, which physiologically has no cellular components, occupies the vitreous cavity, an inner space of the eye, and reduces practical convection of molecules. Considering this, development of a drug delivery system (DDS) is becoming increasingly important in the treatment of vitreoretinal diseases not only to facilitate drug efficacy but also to attenuate adverse effects. The DDS has three major goals: enhances drug permeation (e.g., iontophoresis and transscleral DDS), controls release of drugs (e.g., microspheres, liposomes, and intraocular implants), and targets drugs (e.g., prodrugs with high molecular weight and immunoconjugates). Comprehensive knowledge of these should lead to development of innovative treatment modalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya City University Medical School, Aichi 467-8601, Japan. yasukawa@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasukawa
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: Hideya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.forename: Yoshihito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004343:Drug Implants; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D008863:Microspheres; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014822:Vitreous Body
chemical_list: D004343:Drug Implants; D008081:Liposomes; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations