Purpose: To introduce photodynamic therapy (PDT) for corneal neovascularization (NV) by polyion complex (PIC) micelles, a novel drug delivery system.
Methods and results: Development of specific drug delivery systems to corneal NV sites is an important part of next-generation photodynamic therapy. Nanocarriers consisting of PIC micelles bound by polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell exhibit good stability, high drug-loading capacity, and excellent potential for controlled drug release. Encapsulation of the photosensitizer dendrimer porphyrin (DP) into PIC micelles (DP-micelles) conveys adequate stability and increased photocytotoxicity without compromising photophysical properties of DP stability. We assessed the accumulation of DP-micelles and observed that the DP-micelles were incorporated into the corneal NV area.
Conclusions: PIC micelles possess attractive features of selective accumulation at the corneal NV site. PDT using DP-micelles appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of corneal NV.