Drug Delivery Method For Treating Eye Diseases Receives Patent

The U.S. Patent Office has issued a patent to CytoTherapeutics, Inc., covering the use of the Company's encapsulated cell technology as a method for treating eye diseases. The encapsulated cell implant—living cells contained within a semipermeable membrane—delivers therapeutic substances including proteins and peptides directly to the eye. In doing so, the process avoids some of the traditional problems of drug delivery, such as toxicity and tolerance.

The allowed patent covers methods for delivering one or more biologically active molecules to the eye via encapsulated cell implants placed intraocularly, circumventing the blood-retina barrier, or periocularly. The patent also claims coverage for the delivery of specific molecules via encapsulated cells, including neurotrophic factors, anti-angiogenic factors, growth factors, antibodies and antibody fragments, neurotransmitters, hormones, enzymes, cytokines and lymphokines.

The site-specific delivery of potent compounds provides a means of treatment for a number of serious eye diseases, the Company claims, including ocular angiogenesis (diabetic retinopathy), inflammatory disease (uveitis) and neuroretinal degenerations (macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa).

For more information: CytoTherapeutics, Inc., 701 George Washington Highway, Lincoln, RI 02865, USA. Telephone: 401-288-1000. Fax: 401-334-9152.