Mucoadhesive nanoparticle eye drop drug delivery

Eye diseases, such as dry eye syndrome, affect about 15% of the population. Eye drop formulations are the most common way to treat eye diseases, but patients struggle with the multiple daily applications required and the resulting side effects. Our goal is to develop an eye drop formulation that requires less frequent application using nanoparticle drug carriers. Drugs are quickly cleared from the eye due to blinking and tear turnover, but these nanoparticles can attach to the corneal surface to prevent rapid clearance. The nanoparticles can also be designed to slowly release drugs over a prolonged period to further reduce the frequency of application. This technology has the potential to make eye drop use easier for patients and result in fewer side effects. By collaborating with AmorChem Holdings Inc., we plan to perform preclinical studies to advance the technology into clinical trials and beyond.

Faculty Supervisor:

Frank Gu

Student:

Shengyan Liu

Partner:

AmorChem

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

University of Waterloo