Eyenovia [NASDAQ:EYEN]
EYEN]

Wouldn’t it be great if eyedrops didn’t spill out of our eyes during application? Eyenovia [NASDAQ:EYEN], a clinical-stage ophthalmic company, has developed a new kind of drug delivery dispenser, Optejet—powered by its proprietary microdose array print (MAP) platform technology—to precisely deliver topical eye drugs directly on the cornea horizontally, free from gravity. It not only reduces tearing and blinking but also decreases overdosing that exposes patients to excess drugs and preservatives.

The technology is similar to inkjet printer technology; the eye drugs are piezo printed on the cornea, similar to an inkjet printer delivering pixels of ink onto paper. Moreover, its low-velocity, horizontal dispersion has potential to make the dose delivery more comfortable. Optejet delivers about eight microliters, matching the volume of a tear and the capacity of the eye. At the same time, with the push of a button, the drug is dispensed in less than 100 milliseconds, quicker than the blink of an eye. There is no struggle to vertically position the patient by having them tilt their head as with eyedrops or to beat the patient’s blink reflex, or to keep tissues ready in case of a mishap. The device also comes with a timeout feature that locks the device for reset. And when not in use, the micro-array is recessed and covered by a shutter until the next actuation of the device; another design feature that minimize contamination risk.

The Optejet dispenser can also be paired with smart devices, via a Bluetooth connection, to collect and analyze dose data either locally or on a cloud-based platform. This helps both patients and caregivers check their drug usage and allows doctors to conduct remote therapeutic monitoring.

It also improves overall patient-doctor communication as doctors have a date/time stamp for Optejet use to better understand the patient’s drug administration pattern. It even supports the flow of eyecare in practice for ophthalmologists, optometrists and ophthalmic technicians by streamlining drug administration with more efficient delivery of quality care for patients.

“Our primary focus is to bring next-generation topical ophthalmic drug delivery technology, improving the patient experience both in and out of the clinic,” states Beth Scott, Vice President, Regulatory and Medical Affairs, Eyenovia. The company is also exploring future enhancements to the device such as AI recognition for an automated drug delivery solution.

Eyenovia is currently developing next-generation smart ocular pharmaceutical solutions called MydCombi™, MicroPine, and MicroLine, which focus on the microdosed medications for mydriasis, myopia progression, and presbyopia respectively. The company has initiated a trial, the CHAPERONE study to investigate the safety and efficacy of MicroPine for the reduction of progressive myopia using Eyenovia’s proprietary atropine topical micro-formulation delivered by the Optejet dispenser. As per its earliest report, children as young as six are self-administering MicroPine. CHAPERONE is ongoing with an alliance partner Bausch and Lomb.

Our primary focus is to bring next-generation topical ophthalmic drug delivery technology, improving the patient experience both in and out of the clinic

The company is now building a manufacturing site in Redwood City, CA. By doing so, everything will be under one roof, with complete control over production and distribution. These developments certainly bode well for the ophthalmology space, and will play a crucial role in reducing the setbacks of conventional eyedrops across the U.S., and internationally.