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Timolol maleate (TM) has been used for many years for the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma patients. However, the topical mode of administration (eyedrops) is far from optimal because of the issues of low bioavailability, high drug wastage, and lack of patient compliance. Suboptimal control of the IOP leads to disease progression and eventually to blindness. Ideally, TM is delivered to the patient so that its action is both localized and sustained for 3 months or more. In this work, we developed a subconjunctival TM microfilm for sustained, long-term delivery of TM to the eyes, using the biodegradable elastomer poly(lactide-co-caprolactone) (PLC). The copolymer is biocompatible and has flexibility and mechanical characteristics suitable for a patient-acceptable implant. Controlling the release of TM for 3 months is challenging, and this work describes how, by using a combination of multilayering and blending with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) copolymers, we were able to develop a TM-incorporated biodegradable film that can deliver TM at a therapeutic dose for 90 days in vitro. The data was further confirmed in a diseased primate model, with sustained IOP-lowering effects for 5 months with a single implant, with acceptable biocompatibility and partial degradation.

Despite the success that drug eluting stents (DES) have achieved for minimizing in-stent restenosis (ISR), the anti-restenotic agents used in DES have been implicated in delayed endothelial healing and impairment of endothelial functions. Cenderitide (CD-NP) is a novel anti-proliferation chimeric peptide of semi-endothelial origin, thus this paper aims to demonstrate the selectivity aspect of this new peptide via in vitro evaluation on key players in ISR—smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs). The micro-bicinchoninic acid (BCA) protein assay was used to investigate the CD-NP release from films and stents. Cenderitide-contained films blended with poly(ethylene glycol) and its copolymer exhibited higher release kinetics compared to neat PCL formulation. Cenderitide-eluting stents (CES) was produced by coating bare metallic stents with CD-NP entrapped poly(ε-caprolactone) using an ultrasonic spray coater. The investigation of CD-NP on in vitro cells revealed that CD-NP inhibits HCaSMCs proliferation but exhibits no effects on HUVECs proliferation. Moreover, CD-NP released up to 7 days displayed inhibitory effects on SMCs proliferation. The CES produced in this work shows that the released CD-NP inhibits HCaSMCs proliferation but did not hamper HUVECs proliferation in vitro, suggesting that it has potential to reduce ISR without retarding the endothelialisation healing in vivo.

Quantification of protein-polymer colocalization in a phase-separated polymer blend gives important insights into the protein release mechanism. Here, we report on the first visualization of protein-poly(ethylene glycol) (protein-PEG) colocalization in poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PCL/PEG) blend films using a combined application of confocal Raman mapping and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging. The degree of protein-PEG colocalization was further quantified via a novel image processing technique. This technique also allowed us to characterize the 3-D protein distribution within the films. Our results showed that the proteins were homogeneously distributed within the film matrix, independent of PEG content. However, the degree of protein-PEG colocalization was inversely proportional to PEG content, ranging from 65 to 94%. This quantitative data on protein-PEG colocalization was used along with in vitro PEG leaching profile to construct a predictive model for overall protein release. Our prediction matched well with the experimental protein release profile, which is characterized by an initial burst release and a subsequent slower diffusional release. More importantly, the success of this predictive model has highlighted the influence of protein-PEG colocalization on the protein release mechanism.