NIH has developed a prototype medical device to administer therapeutics into the eye to treat a variety of ocular diseases and is now looking for research collaboration and commercialization partners to further develop the medical device. The device will be able to treat diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and macular degeneration.
The device is a dual function needle that can inject and sample ocular fluid at the same injection site. The needle includes a hub portion in communication with a needle portion through a lumen that may be used as a conduit to inject a therapeutic into an injection site. A sample chamber, with an optional absorbent material is disposed in the lumen capable of absorbing intraocular fluid via a passive filling action into the sample chamber.
The research on the device was done by the National Eye Institute and the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering inventors. The HHS Reference Number is E-233-2010/0 and the Provisional patent application number is 61/533,908 filed September 13, 2011.
For more information on licensing information, email Michael Shmilovich at shmilovm@mail.nih.gov or call (301) 402-0220. For collaboration opportunities email Alan E. Hubbs, PhD at hubbsa@mail.nih.gov or call (301) 594-4263.
