Study on retinal pharmacokinetic characteristics and precision drug administration strategy in patients with fundus diseases.

BACKGROUND

Fundus diseases are major causes of irreversible visual impairment. Retinal pharmacokinetic behavior may differ between diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but disease-specific dosing principles remain insufficiently defined.

OBJECTIVES

Disease-stratified retinal pharmacokinetic characteristics were evaluated, and a precision drug administration strategy for patients with fundus diseases was developed.

METHODS

Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) cell models, retinal organoids, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) models, optical coherence tomography (OCT), serum biomarkers and clinical records were integrated. A retrospective, controlled clinical analysis was performed in patients with DR or AMD, in accordance with ethics approval No. 20240923.

RESULTS

DR was characterized by greater barrier permeability and transporter-related retention, whereas AMD was characterized by lipid-associated RPE dysfunction and restricted trans-retinal penetration. The DR model predicted retinal peak concentration with R2 = 0.89, and the AMD model predicted drug half-life with 86% accuracy. Precision administration was associated with reduced injection frequency in DR and AMD and improved anatomical and visual outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Disease-specific retinal pharmacokinetic differences support individualized dosing strategies for fundus diseases. The proposed platform provides a practical framework for precision anti-VEGF therapy and targeted retinal drug delivery.