Biocompatible biodegradable intraocular implant system

Abstract

Generally, an intraocular implant and methods for treating an ocular condition. As to certain embodiments, an intraocular biocompatible biodegradable implant ( 11 ) which can provide a biocompatible biodegradable material in the form of a flexible membrane ( 12 ) containing an active agent ( 24 ) which implanted between an intraocular lens ( 8 ) and the surface of the posterior capsule ( 5 ) of the eye ( 1 )( 4 ) inhibits migration of residual lens epithelial cells after cataract surgery by providing structural or pharmaceutical barriers to reduce posterior capsule ( 5 ) opacification of the eye ( 1 )( 4 ).

1 . An intraocular implant, comprising:
 a) a biocompatible substantially planar circular flexible membrane configured to implant in a localized region inside an eye, wherein the localized region is selected from the group consisting of:
 i) between the lens and the surface of the posterior capsule; 
 ii) between the lens and the surface of the iris; and 
 iii) overlying the iris intraocular implant; 
   b) an aperture element which communicates between opposed sides of said membrane to provide a passage opening, said passage opening configured to intraocularly align with a visual axis of said eye, thereby providing a line of sight which passes through said passage opening.   
     
     
         2 . The intraocular implant of  claim 1 , wherein said aperture element defines a generally circular passage opening. 
     
     
         3 . The intraocular implant of  claim 2 , wherein said generally circular passage opening has a diameter in the range of about 1.5 millimeter to about 9 millimeters. 
     
     
         4 . The intraocular implant of  claim 1 , wherein said biocompatible flexible membrane is generated from a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of: polyurethane, polyisobutylene, ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer, acrylic polymers, acrylic copolymers, vinyl halide polymer, vinyl halide copolymer, polyvinyl esters, polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl ketones, polyvinyl aromatic, polystyrene, ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymers, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, ABS resins, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyamides, Nylon 66, polycaprolactone, alkyd resins, polycarbonates, polyoxyethylenes, polyimides, polyesters, epoxy resins, rayon-triacetate, and cellophane. 
     
     
         5 . The intraocular implant of  claim 1 , wherein said membrane comprises a biodegradable membrane. 
     
     
         6 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , wherein said membrane is generated from a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of: polylactide polymers (PLA), copolymers of lactic and glycolic acids (PLGA), polylactic acid-polyethylene oxide copolymers, poly(ε-caprolactone-co-L-lactic acid (PCL-LA), glycine/PLA copolymers, PLA copolymers involving polyethylene oxides (PEO), acetylated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polycaprolactone copolymers, hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate copolymers, polyesters of aspartic acid and aliphatic diols, poly(alkylene tartrates)/polyurethane copolymers, polyglutamates, biodegradable nonpeptidic polyamides, amino acid polymers, polyanhydride drug carriers such as, but not limited to, poly(sebacic acid) (PSA), aliphatic-aromatic homopolymers, poly(anhydride-co-imides), poly(phosphoesters), poly(phosphazenes), poly(iminocarbonate), crosslinked poly(ortho ester), hydroxylated polyester-urethanes, hydrogels, and methylcellulose. 
     
     
         7 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one active agent dispersed in said membrane releasable in sufficient amounts to treat an ocular condition. 
     
     
         8 . The intraocular implant of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one active agent is selected from the group consisting of: antibiotic agents, antibacterial agents, antiviral agents, antiglaucoma agents, antiallergenic agents, antiinflammatory agents, antiproliferative agents, immune system modifying agents, anticancer agents, antisense agents, antimytotic agents, myotic agents, ace inhibitors, endogenous cytokines, basement membrane influencing agents, endothelial cell growth agents, epithelial cell growth agents, adrenergic agonists, adrenergic blockers, cholinergic agonists, cholinergic blockers, aldose reductase inhibitors, analgesics, anesthetics, antiallergics, antihypertensives, pressors, antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, antiprotozoals, anti-infectives, antitumor agents, antimetabolites, daunomycin, antiangiogenic agents, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, aminoglycosides, gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin, vancomycin, amphenicols, chloramphenicol, cephalosporins, cefazolin HCl, penicillins, ampicillin, penicillin, carbenicillin, oxycillin, methicillin, lincosamides, lincomycin, polypeptide antibiotics, polymixin, bacitracin, tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline, quinolones, ciprofloxain, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, sulfonamides, chloramine T, sulfones, sulfanilic acid, acyclovir, gancyclovir, vidarabine, azidothymidine, dideoxyinosine, dideoxycytosine, dexamethasone, epinephrine, isoflurphate, adriamycin, bleomycin, mitomycin, ara-C, actinomycin D, scopolamin, analgesics, codeine, morphine, keterolac, naproxen, anesthetics, lidocaine, beta.-adrenergic blocker, beta.-adrenergic agonist, ephidrine, epinephrine, aldose reductase inhibitor, epalrestat, ponalrestat, sorbinil, tolrestat, cromolyn, beclomethasone, dexamethasone, flunisolide, colchicine, anihelminthic agents, ivermectin, suramin sodium, antiamebic agents, chloroquine, chlortetracycline, antifungal agents, amphotericin, antiangiogenesis compounds, anecortave acetate, retinoids, tazarotene, brimonidine alphagan, Alphagan P, acetozolamide, bimatoprost, lumigan, timolol, mebefunolol, memantine, alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists, 2-methoxyestradiol, antineoplastic agents, vinblastine, vincristine, alpha interferon, beta interferon, gamma interferon, antimetabolites, folic acid analogs, purine analogs, pyrimidine analogs, immunosuppressant agents, azathiprine, cyclosporine, mizoribine, miotic agents, carbachol, mydriatic agents, atropine, protease inhibitors, aprotinin, camostat, gabexate, vasodilators, bradykinin, epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, nerve growth factors, steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, 21-acetoxypregnenolone, alclometasone, algestone, amcinonide, beclomethasone, betamethasone, budesonide, chloroprednisone, clobetasol, clobetasone, clocortolone, cloprednol, corticosterone, cortisone, cortivazol, deflazacort, desonide, desoximetasone, dexamethasone, diflorasone, diflucortolone, difluprednate, enoxolone, fluazacort, flucloronide, flumethasone, flunisolide, fluocinolone acetonide, fluocinonide, fluocortin butyl, fluocortolone, fluorometholone, fluperolone acetate, fluprednidene acetate, fluprednisolone, flurandrenolide, fluticasone propionate, formocortal, halcinonide, halobetasol propionate, halometasone, halopredone acetate, hydrocortamate, hydrocortisone, loteprednol etabonate, mazipredone, medrysone, meprednisone, methylprednisolone, mometasone furoate, paramethasone, prednicarbate, prednisolone, prednisolone 25-diethylamino-acetate, prednisolone sodium phosphate, prednisone, prednival, prednylidene, rimexolone, tixocortol, triamcinolone, triamcinolone acetonide, triamcinolone benetonide, triamcinolone hexacetonide, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, bevacizumab, ranibisumab, pegatanib, transforming growth factor inhibitors, and fibroblast growth factor inhibitors. 
     
     
         9 . The intraocular implant of any one of  claim 1 ,  5  or  7 , further comprising an amount of non-active agent dispersed in said membrane. 
     
     
         10 . The intraocular implant of  claim 9 , wherein said amount of non-active agent is selected from the group consisting of: sodium bisulfite, sodium bisulfate, sodium thiosulfate, benzalkonium chloride, chlorobutanol, thimerosal, phenylmercuric acetate, phenylmercuric nitrate, methylparaben, polyvinyl alcohol and phenylethyl alcohol, sodium carbonate, sodium borate, sodium phosphate, sodium acetate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and potassium chloride. 
     
     
         11 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , wherein said membrane comprises a first membrane layer coupled to a second membrane layer. 
     
     
         12 . The intraocular implant of  claim 11 , wherein said first membrane layer and said second membrane layer comprise different polymeric materials. 
     
     
         13 . The intraocular implant of  claim 12 , wherein said first membrane layer biodegrades at a different rate than said second membrane layer. 
     
     
         14 . The intraocular implant of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first membrane layer and said second membrane layer include an active agent. 
     
     
         15 . The intraocular implant of  claim 14 , wherein said first membrane layer and said second membrane layer each contain said active agent, and wherein said active agent contained in said first membrane layer is different than said active agent contained in said second membrane layer. 
     
     
         16 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , wherein said membrane comprises a first annular zone and a second annular zone. 
     
     
         17 . The intraocular implant of  claim 16 , wherein said first annular zone biodegrades at a different rate than said second annular zone. 
     
     
         18 . The intraocular implant of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of said first annular zone and said second annular zone contain an active agent. 
     
     
         19 . The intraocular implant of  claim 18 , wherein said first annular zone and said second annular zone each contain an active agent, and wherein said active agent contained in said first annular zone is different than said active agent contained in said second annular zone. 
     
     
         20 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , further comprising an outer boundary of said membrane which defines a generally circular area. 
     
     
         21 . The intraocular implant of  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of radial slit elements each originating at said aperture element extending radially outward toward said outer boundary. 
     
     
         22 . The intraocular implant of  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of radial slit elements each originating at said outer boundary extending radially inward toward said aperture element. 
     
     
         23 . The intraocular implant of  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of radial capillaries which communicate between said outer boundary and said aperture element, said plurality of radial capillaries configured to allow fluid within said eye to circulate between said first side of said intraocular implant and a surface of said localized region inside said eye. 
     
     
         24 . The intraocular implant of  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of outer boundary recess elements which periodically interrupt the outer boundary. 
     
     
         25 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of corrugate elements disposed in generally linear parallel relation to provide undulations in said biodegradable biocompatible flexible membrane, said plurality of corrugate elements configured to allow fluid within said eye to circulate between said first side of said intraocular implant and said surface of said posterior capsule of said eye. 
     
     
         26 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of perforation elements which communicate between opposed sides of said membrane. 
     
     
         27 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , further comprising a patterned surface element coupled to said membrane, said pattern surface element configured to reduce travel of said intraocular implant within said localized region of said eye. 
     
     
         28 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , further comprising an amount of alkylphosphocholine dispersed in said membrane releasable in amounts sufficient to provide a concentration of alkylphosphocholine in said localized region in a range of about 0.5 mM to about 1.5 mM for about five days. 
     
     
         32 . The intraocular implant of  claim 5 , further comprising an amount of mitomycin-C dispersed in said membrane releasable in amounts sufficient to provide a concentration of mitomycin-C in said localized region of about 0.04 mg/mL for a period of about five days. 
     
     
         33 - 68 . (canceled)