An intravitreal implant injection method for sustained drug delivery into mouse eyes

Cell Rep Methods. 2021 Dec 20;1(8):100125. doi: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2021.100125. Epub 2021 Dec 6.

Abstract

Using small molecule drugs to treat eye diseases carries benefits of specificity, scalability, and transportability, but their efficacy is significantly limited by a fast intraocular clearance rate. Ocular drug implants (ODIs) present a compelling means for the slow and sustained release of small molecule drugs inside the eye. However, methods are needed to inject small molecule ODIs into animals with small eyes, such as mice, which are the primary genetic models for most human ocular diseases. Consequently, it has not been possible to fully investigate efficacy and ocular pharmacokinetics of ODIs. Here, we present a robust, cost-effective, and minimally invasive method called "mouse implant intravitreal injection" (MI3) to deliver ODIs into mouse eyes. This method will expand ODI research to cover the breadth of human eye diseases modeled in mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Drug Implants / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Mice
  • Vitreous Body*

Substances

  • Drug Implants