Barrier Properties of the Human Eye and the Need for Novel Formulations, Drug Delivery Technologies and Medical Devices to Combat Age-Related Sight Loss
A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Technology, Manufacturing and Devices".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 7533
Special Issue Editors
2. Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Interests: ophthalmic drugs and delivery systems; veterinary pharmaceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: formulation of proteins; ocular drug delivery; implantable devices; in vitro models
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The size of the global ophthalmic drugs market is expected to reach USD 43.1 billion by 2026. Finding efficient alternatives to conventional eye drops and intravitreal injections is desirable. The delivery of drugs and biologics to the ocular surface, anterior chamber, and posterior segment of the eye poses formidable challenges due the unique physiological and pharmacological constraints of the human eye. With the global rise of the elderly population, conditions such as cataract, presbyopia, glaucoma, dry eye, age-related macular degeneration, keratitis, and diabetic retinopathy are becoming ever more prevalent. Low ocular bioavailability along with poor patient adherence are characteristic of the topical ocular hypotensive eye drops that are routinely used in glaucoma management. Recurrent intravitreal injections of the costly anti-VEGF medications, regulatory and clinical challenges associated with the emergence of various biosimilars and the cost associated with developing sophisticated devices that can target and deliver their cargo to inaccessible locations such as the macula, choroid, retina, and optic disc are amongst the numerous challenges facing those working in the field. The emergence of new technologies of controlled and continuous drug release, 3D printing, polymeric scaffolds, contact lenses, punctal plugs, and ambitious devices that would allow simultaneous bidirectional delivery of drugs to the front and back of the eye is exciting and promising. Better understanding of the fundamentals, and the integration of basic formulation and drug delivery science with clinical knowledge could give rise to new modalities that improve patient outcomes. This Special Issue focuses on the barrier properties of the human eye and the need for novel formulations, drug delivery technologies, and medical devices to combat age-related sight loss.
Prof. Dr. Raid Alany
Prof. Dr. Steve Brocchini
Dr. Ali Seyfoddin
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- ocular drug delivery
- ophthalmic medication
- corneal/scleral penetration
- vitreous drug delivery
- 3D printing
- hydrogels
- scaffolds
- ocular implants
- colloidal and nanoparticulate drug carriers
- controlled drug release
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.
