New Challenges in Ocular Drug Delivery

The clinical treatment of diseases affecting the eye globe is often hindered by the physiological protection structures and mechanisms of the organ, as well as by the unsuitable physico-chemical features of the active molecules, specifically with regard to the retina and posterior eye segment. Intravitreal injections of drugs and monoclonal antibodies are at present the most common therapeutic procedure to reach the retinal area. However, such vaccinations are associated with a high risk of side effects, apart from those requiring the intervention of a physician. One of the ‘dream goals’ in this field remains the ability to reach the retinal area using a simple topically applied eye-drop formulation. Research in recent years has progressively made available new strategies and technologies to overcome the problems that hinder an efficacious ocular drug bioavailability, leading to even more safe, easy-to-use and highly compliant therapeutic means. This Topic is aimed at collecting the most recent experiences from worldwide laboratories to update of existing state-of-the-art methods and introduce new perspectives toward innovative and effective ocular therapies. We are extremely delighted to present the latest research and review works which demonstrate the new challenges to achieving an effective ocular drug delivery in order to increase bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy, reducing at the same time the risk of side effects.