A Single Intravenous Injection of Cyclosporin A-loaded Lipid Nanocapsules Prevents Retinopathy of Prematurity

Overview

Journal Sci Adv

Specialties Biology
Science

Date 2022 Sep 23

PMID 36149956

Authors

Marilena Bohley

Andrea E Dillinger

Frank Schweda

Andreas Ohlmann

Barbara M Braunger

Ernst R Tamm

Achim Goepferich

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal disease that threatens the vision of prematurely born infants. Severe visual impairment up to complete blindness is caused by neovascularization and inflammation, progressively destroying the immature retina. ROP primarily affects newborns in middle- and low-income countries with limited access to current standard treatments such as intraocular drug injections and laser- or cryotherapy. To overcome these limitations, we developed a nanotherapeutic that effectively prevents ROP development with one simple intravenous injection. Its lipid nanocapsules transport the antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory cyclosporin A efficiently into disease-driving retinal pigment epithelium cells. In a mouse model of ROP, a single intravenous injection of the nanotherapeutic prevented ROP and led to normal retinal development by counteracting neovascularization and inflammation. This nanotherapeutic approach has the potential to bring about a change of paradigm in ROP therapy and prevent millions of preterm born infants from developing ROP.

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