Beyond the eyedropper bottle – Three ways to improve adherence
In a recent On Drug Delivery article, Nathan Wilkinson, Catherine Wyman, and Matt Parker dive into the evolving landscape of ophthalmic topical delivery to reflect on some interesting developments in the field.
Here’s a snapshot of the key points:
- The ophthalmic delivery market is poised for growth, driven by ageing populations and the increasing prevalence of diseases like glaucoma.
- Eye dropper bottles, the current primary method for ophthalmic delivery, are facing challenges with adherence due to difficulties with aiming, dosing, and patient dexterity.
- Jetting technologies from companies like Kedalion and Eyenovia are making waves by delivering fluid horizontally, which improves comfort and enables precise dosing.
- Sustained release products, such as Ocular Therapeutix’s Dextenza® punctal plug, are improving adherence by reducing dosing frequency and disruption.
- Digital tools can improve adherence, delivering real-time feedback on treatment effectiveness in combination with key bio trackers such as IOP for glaucoma.
The future of ophthalmic delivery is looking bright, with a focus on products that are easy to use, minimize lifestyle disruption, and utilize digital health for adherence tracking, monitoring, and feedback. While each of these innovations comes with its own set of drawbacks, the market is slowly converging on better solutions.
As we navigate these major changes in delivery platforms, business strategies, and digital health, there are ample opportunities to improve adherence, quality of life, and patient outcomes.