Iontophoretic drug delivery shows promise

Eyegate Pharmaceuticals announced promising interim data showing iontophoresis can non-invasively deliver dexamethasone phosphate to the posterior segment.

The company is evaluating the iontophoretic delivery of a reformulated corticosteroid (EGP-437) in an ongoing multi-center, open-label phase 1b/2a clinical trial that has enrolled 19 patients with macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy or post-surgical cystoid macular edema.

EGP-437 is the company’s first and only product in clinical trials EyeGate’s proprietary drug delivery system is designed to deliver drugs directly into targeted ocular tissue in both the anterior and posterior segments of the eye.

“Overall, the interim data from this pilot trial suggests that iontophoresis can non-invasively deliver EGP-437 to the back of the eye. The non-invasive delivery of EGP-437 has demonstrated a positive response in some patients with macular edema. We believe that this data is encouraging, and warrants an extension to the trial to continue to work on the ideal dose and dosing regimen for the iontophoretic delivery of EGP-437,” said Jeffrey Heier, MD, director of Vitreoretinal Service and Retina Research at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston and the principal investigator of the trial.

The extension stage of this trial is expected to begin by the end of 2015.