Contact lenses may act as drug release platforms for the treatment of ocular infections, but there is still the need for extending their typical release periods and enhancing ocular bioavailability. The present study aimed to develop a molecularly imprinted silicone-based hydrogel to be used in the manufacturing of contact lenses that can be loaded efficiently and be able to release the antibiotic moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MXF) in a sustained way. A set of hydrogels was prepared by the molecular imprinting method using acrylic acid (AA) as the functional monomer for the specific recognition of MXF. The modified hydrogels loaded a higher amount of MXF, which was released for a longer time. In vitro experiments, using a microfluidic cell to mimic the ocular surface fluid turnover, showed that the imprinted hydrogel TRIS(300)-I prepared with the highest content in AA led to MXF concentrations in the release medium which were effective against S. aureus and S. epidermidis for about 2 weeks. Furthermore, some important properties such as water uptake, wettability, transmittance, ionic permeability, and Young´s modulus of the modified hydrogel remained within the range of values recommended for contact lenses. No cytotoxicity and no potential ocular irritancy effect were detected. Such hydrogel seems to be a promising alternative to the current options for the treatment of ocular infections.
Keywords: Acrylic acid; Controlled drug release; Molecular imprinting; Moxifloxacin; Silicone-based contact lens.
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