Electrospun nanofibers - A promising solid in-situ gelling alternative for ocular drug delivery.

A serious problem of the treatment of eye diseases is the very short residence time of the drug. The majority of the drug is cleared within few seconds due to the poor capability of the eye to accommodate additional liquids. We developed a new ocular drug delivery system, which is applied in dry form and forms immediately a gel after administration. The system is based on gellan gum/pullulan electrospun nanofibers. The rheological behavior of the spinning solution was investigated followed by further characterization of the in situ formed gel. Three-dimensional X-ray imaging with nanometric resolution (nano-CT) and electron scanning microscopy were used for a detailed characterization of the diameter and alignment of the fibers. A high porosity (87.5 ± 0.5%) and pore interconnectivity (99%) was found. To ensure a good fit to the eye anatomy, the prepared fibers were shaped into curved geometries. Additionally, a new innovative moistening chamber for the in vitro determination of the ocular residence time in porcine eyes was developed which mimics the tear turnover. A clear prolongation of the fluorescein residence time compared to conventional eye drops was achieved with the application of the curved nanofiber in situ gelling mat. In summary, the developed in situ gelling system with adapted geometry is a promising alternative system for ocular drug delivery.