Details for Patent: 8,318,070
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Title: | Ocular implant made by a double extrusion process |
Abstract: | The invention provides biodegradable implants sized for implantation in an ocular region and methods for treating medical conditions of the eye. The implants are formed from a mixture of hydrophilic end and hydrophobic end PLGA, and deliver active agents into an ocular region without a high burst release. |
Inventor(s): | Shiah; Jane-Guo (Irvine, CA), Bhagat; Rahul (Irvine, CA), Blanda; Wendy M. (Tustin, CA), Nivaggioli; Thierry (Atherton, CA), Peng; Lin (South San Francisco, CA), Chou; David (Palo Alto, CA), Weber; David A. (Danville, CA) |
Assignee: | Allergan, Inc. (Irvine, CA) |
Filing Date: | Sep 01, 2011 |
Application Number: | 13/224,041 |
Claims: | 1. A method for making an ocular bioerodible implant for treating a medical condition of the eye, the method comprising: a) milling a hydrophilic ended poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymer; b) milling a hydrophobic ended poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymer; c) blending the milled polymers together with particles of dexamethasone to form a blended mixture comprising a hydrophilic ended PLGA, a hydrophobic ended PLGA, and dexamethasone, wherein at least about 75% of the particles of the dexamethasone have a diameter of less than about 20 .mu.m; d) performing a plurality of heat extrusions of the blended mixture, thereby forming a filament including a homogenous distribution of the dexamethasone, wherein the ocular bioerodible implant has a reduced in-batch variability relative to a single extrusion implant. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bioerodible implant is sized for implantation in the vitreous cavity. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the dexamethasone constitutes from about 10% to about 90% by weight of the implant. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the dexamethasone constitutes from about 40% to about 80% by weight of the implant. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dexamethasone constitutes about 60% by weight of the implant. |