PMID- 30208574
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
LR  - 20200930
IS  - 2227-9059 (Print)
IS  - 2227-9059 (Electronic)
IS  - 2227-9059 (Linking)
VI  - 6
IP  - 3
DP  - 2018 Sep 11
TI  - Aflibercept Nanoformulation Inhibits VEGF Expression in Ocular In Vitro Model: A 
      Preliminary Report.
LID - 10.3390/biomedicines6030092 [doi]
LID - 92
AB  - Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness 
      in the United States, affecting approximately 11 million patients. AMD is caused 
      primarily by an upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In 
      recent years, aflibercept injections have been used to combat VEGF. However, this 
      treatment requires frequent intravitreal injections, leading to low patient 
      compliance and several adverse side effects including scarring, increased 
      intraocular pressure, and retinal detachment. Polymeric nanoparticles have 
      demonstrated the ability to deliver a sustained release of drug, thereby reducing 
      the necessary injection frequency. Aflibercept (AFL) was encapsulated in poly 
      lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) via double emulsion diffusion. 
      Scanning electron microscopy showed the NPs were spherical and dynamic light 
      scattering demonstrated that they were uniformly distributed (PDI < 1). The 
      encapsulation efficiency and drug loading were 75.76% and 7.76% respectively. In 
      vitro release studies showed a sustained release of drug; 75% of drug was 
      released by the NPs in seven days compared to the full payload released in 24 h 
      by the AFL solution. Future ocular in vivo studies are needed to confirm the 
      biological effects of the NPs. Preliminary studies of the proposed aflibercept 
      NPs demonstrated high encapsulation efficiency, a sustained drug release profile, 
      and ideal physical characteristics for AMD treatment. This drug delivery system 
      is an excellent candidate for further characterization using an ocular 
      neovascularization in vivo model.
FAU - Kelly, Shannon J
AU  - Kelly SJ
AD  - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South 
      Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. shannonk@health.usf.edu.
FAU - Hirani, Anjali
AU  - Hirani A
AD  - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South 
      Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. ahirani@gmail.com.
FAU - Shahidadpury, Vishal
AU  - Shahidadpury V
AD  - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South 
      Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. vpury89@gmail.com.
FAU - Solanki, Aum
AU  - Solanki A
AD  - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South 
      Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. solankia@health.usf.edu.
FAU - Halasz, Kathleen
AU  - Halasz K
AD  - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South 
      Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. halaszk@health.usf.edu.
FAU - Varghese Gupta, Sheeba
AU  - Varghese Gupta S
AD  - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South 
      Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. svarghes@health.usf.edu.
FAU - Madow, Brian
AU  - Madow B
AD  - Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 
      Jacksonville, FL 32209, USA. Brian.madow@jax.ufl.edu.
FAU - Sutariya, Vijaykumar
AU  - Sutariya V
AD  - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South 
      Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. vsutariy@health.usf.edu.
LA  - eng
GR  - 2016/USF College of Pharmacy/
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20180911
PL  - Switzerland
TA  - Biomedicines
JT  - Biomedicines
JID - 101691304
PMC - PMC6165497
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - PLGA
OT  - aflibercept
OT  - age-related macular degeneration
OT  - nanoparticles
OT  - vascular endothelial growth factor
COIS- The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the 
      design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in 
      the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.
EDAT- 2018/09/14 06:00
MHDA- 2018/09/14 06:01
PMCR- 2018/09/11
CRDT- 2018/09/14 06:00
PHST- 2018/08/08 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2018/08/28 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2018/09/06 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2018/09/14 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2018/09/14 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2018/09/14 06:01 [medline]
PHST- 2018/09/11 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - biomedicines6030092 [pii]
AID - biomedicines-06-00092 [pii]
AID - 10.3390/biomedicines6030092 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Biomedicines. 2018 Sep 11;6(3):92. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines6030092.