How can machine learning and multiscale modeling benefit ocular drug development?

The eyes possess sophisticated physiological structures, diverse disease targets, limited drug delivery space, distinctive barriers, and complicated biomechanical processes, requiring a more in-depth understanding of the interactions between drug delivery systems and biological systems for ocular formulation development. However, the tiny size of the eyes makes sampling difficult and invasive studies costly and ethically constrained. Developing ocular formulations following conventional trial-and-error formulation and manufacturing process screening procedures is inefficient. Along with the popularity of computational pharmaceutics, non-invasive in silico modeling & simulation offer new opportunities for the paradigm shift of ocular formulation development. The current work first systematically reviews the theoretical underpinnings, advanced applications, and unique advantages of data-driven machine learning and multiscale simulation approaches represented by molecular simulation, mathematical modeling, and pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) modeling for ocular drug development. Following this, a new computer-driven framework for rational pharmaceutical formulation design is proposed, inspired by the potential of in silico explorations in understanding drug delivery details and facilitating drug formulation design. Lastly, to promote the paradigm shift, integrated in silico methodologies were highlighted, and discussions on data challenges, model practicality, personalized modeling, regulatory science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and talent training were conducted in detail with a view to achieving more efficient objective-oriented pharmaceutical formulation design.

Ocular Fluid Mechanics and Drug Delivery: A Review of Mathematical and Computational Models

The human eye is a complex biomechanical structure with a range of biomechanical processes involved in various physiological as well as pathological conditions. Fluid flow inside different domains of the eye is one of the most significant biomechanical processes that tend to perform a wide variety of functions and when combined with other biophysical processes play a crucial role in ocular drug delivery. However, it is quite difficult to comprehend the effect of these processes on drug transport and associated treatment experimentally because of ethical constraints and economic feasibility. Computational modeling on the other hand is an excellent means to understand the associated complexity between these aforementioned processes and drug delivery. A wide range of computational models specific to different types of fluids present in different domains of the eye as well as varying drug delivery modes has been established to understand the fluid flow behavior and drug transport phenomenon in an insilico manner. These computational models have been used as a non-invasive tool to aid ophthalmologists in identifying the challenges associated with a particular drug delivery mode while treating particular eye diseases and to advance the understanding of the biomechanical behavior of the eye. In this regard, the author attempts to summarize the existing computational and mathematical approaches proposed in the last two decades for understanding the fluid mechanics and drug transport associated with different domains of the eye, together with their application to modify the existing treatment processes.

Investigation of magnetically driven passage of magnetic nanoparticles through eye tissues for magnetic drug targeting

This paper elucidates the feasibility of magnetic drug targeting to the eye by using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to which pharmaceutical drugs can be linked. Numerical simulations revealed that a magnetic field gradient of 20 T m^-1 seems to be promising for dragging magnetic multicore nanoparticles of about 50 nm into the eye. Thus, a targeting magnet system made of superconducting magnets with a magnetic field gradient at the eye of about 20 T m^-1 was simulated. For the proof-of-concept tissue experiments presented here the required magnetic field gradient of 20 T m^-1 was realized by a permanent magnet array. MNPs with an optimized multicore structure were selected for this application by evaluating their stability against agglomeration of MNPs with different coatings in water for injections, physiological sodium chloride solution and biological media such as artificial tear fluid. From these investigations, starch turned out to be the most promising coating material because of its stability in saline fluids due to its steric stabilization mechanism. To evaluate the passage of MNPs through the sclera and cornea of the eye tissues of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), a three-dimensionally printed setup consisting of two chambers (reservoir and target chamber) separated by the eye tissue was developed. With the permanent magnet array emulating the magnetic field gradient of the superconducting setup, experiments on magnetically driven transport of the MNPs from the reservoir chamber into the target chamber via the tissue were performed. The resulting concentration of MNPs in the target chamber was determined by means of quantitative magnetic particle spectroscopy. It was found that none of the tested particles passed the cornea, but starch-coated particles could pass the sclera at a rate of about 5 ng mm^-2 within 24 h. These results open the door for future magnetic drug targeting to the eye.