title: The suprachoroidal pathway: a new drug delivery route to the back of the eye.
abstract: The development of safe and convenient drug delivery strategies for treatment of posterior segment eye diseases is challenging. Although intravitreal injection has wide acceptance amongst clinicians, its use is associated with serious side-effects. Recently, the suprachoroidal space (SCS) has attracted the attention of ophthalmologists and pharmaceutical formulators as a potential site for drug administration and delivery to the posterior segment of the eye. This review highlights the major constraints of drug delivery to the posterior eye segment, key anatomical and physiological features of the SCS and drug delivery applications of this route with emphasis on microneedles along with future perspectives.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Pharmacy, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, VIC 3083, Australia.
authors.forename: Uma Do J P
authors.initials: Udo J
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Pharmacy, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, VIC 3083, Australia.
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Pharmacy, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, VIC 3083, Australia.
authors.forename: Thilini R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Thrimawithana
authors.affiliation: Drug Discovery, Delivery and Patient Care (DDDPC) Theme, School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Computing and Engineering, Kingston University London, Kingston-upon-Thames KT1 2EE, UK; Pharmaceutics Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hamdy
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdelkader
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Adam W G
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Alani
authors.affiliation: Drug Discovery, Delivery and Patient Care (DDDPC) Theme, School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Computing and Engineering, Kingston University London, Kingston-upon-Thames KT1 2EE, UK.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pierscionek
authors.affiliation: Drug Discovery, Delivery and Patient Care (DDDPC) Theme, School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Computing and Engineering, Kingston University London, Kingston-upon-Thames KT1 2EE, UK; School of Pharmacy, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: r.alany@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Raid G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Alany
mesh_terms: D060433:Administration, Ophthalmic; D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002829:Choroid / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular; D008904:Miniaturization; D009339:Needles; D065587:Ocular Absorption; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D057972:Posterior Eye Segment / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations