Summary of recent applications of hydrogels as intravitreal DDS
Disease
Hydrogel composition
Delivery route & active ingredients
Study phase
Release duration
Advantages & limitations
Reference
Retinal neovascularization
GelMA
Triamcinolone acetonide
In vitro; ex vivo
More than 90 days
The degradation process does not obstruct the trabecular meshwork; gelatin is an inexpensive material; no sudden release burst, reducing the risk of cytotoxicity; no measurements of kinetic release profile in vivo
The first study to create a Schiff-based injectable; dynamic reversible gel-sol conversion can be squeezed out of a syringe easily; self-healing properties that protect the drug while preventing dispersed particles from obstructing aqueous humor circulation
Dexamethasone: 35 days; anti-VEGF antibody: 13 days
Thermosensitive; prolonged degradation time under neutral pH; the optimal dosing regimen remains unclear; further preclinical and clinical trials are needed
Antioxidant properties; the formulation is easy to prepare and is suitable for mass production; future clinical trials on human patients required; limited understanding of the mechanism behind BetP-based DDS
Thermosensitive; inhibit choroidal neovascularization through anti-angiogenic and anti-oxidative stress pathways; alternative therapy for wet AMD patients who are unresponsive to anti-VEGF antibodies
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