We鈥檝e all experienced the frustration of using eyedrops鈥攎issing the eye, feeling the liquid spill down our cheeks, or even tasting the medication moments after application. But what if this wasn鈥檛 just a minor inconvenience, but a fundamental flaw in drug delivery?聽
65 million people use eyedrops, with applications ranging from dry eye relief, allergy and infection treatment, and even post-surgical care. Despite their widespread use, eyedrops are exceptionally inefficient by design, leading to considerable treatment waste.聽聽
Each time you blink, tear fluid is wiped across the surface of your eye, constantly . This excess fluid ends up in the nose, which is why sometimes you can 鈥渢aste鈥� eyedrops when you put them in. The process is all a part of the includes the eye, its internal structures, supporting fluids, protective components and extraocular muscles.聽聽
鈥淚t's about the bioavailability of the eye,鈥� Bishakh Rout, recent winner of a 黑料不打烊 Innovation Fund (MIF) Discover ($25,000) award, explained. 鈥淭he eye can only absorb a certain amount of a drug at a time, with a maximum of 10% of a typically eyedrop making it inside the eye.鈥� In other words, out of 100 micrograms of fluid administered, 90 micrograms are lost due to drainage.聽聽
Despite this being a well-known biological function in the industry, eyedrops are designed to administer drops larger than the human eye can hold, causing medication to be drained away by the ocular system, or to spill onto the face . While useful for flushing purposes, the feature counteracts successful medication delivery.聽聽
This wasteful practice is at the expense of patients, who are left wondering how their medication ran out so fast when they may already be grappling with high costs. Older patients in particular often find that eyedrops are difficult to apply, making treatment unnecessarily challenging. The result is ineffective delivery of eye medication and purposeful waste, with both consequences falling on the consumer.聽
Tackling A 2-Part Problem聽
For Rout, it鈥檚 all about improving medication delivery and reducing waste. Named OcuVista, Rout鈥檚 project is a novel design aimed at combatting inefficiencies in the eyecare industry. They are developing contact lenses that can deliver medicine directly to the eye, eliminating medical waste and improving useability.
The amount of medicine per eyedrop varies, but contact lenses by design are resource efficient, using less than half the amount needed for eye drops for a single use contact lens. 鈥淚n short, the savings in terms of drug costs could be 40-60%,鈥� Rout explained.聽
Contact lenses have been around for a while 鈥� probably longer than you think. In fact, Leonardo da Vinci imagined them in 1508, but the in 1887, drawing on designs from British astronomer Sir John Herschel. Soft plastic lenses were introduced in the late 1900s, evolving over time to become disposable and customizable. Remarkably, while the contact lens industry has evolved, OcuVista鈥檚 approach represents a groundbreaking leap in how we think about both medication delivery and eye care, rethinking how treatment is delivered to offer a more efficient and effective solution.聽聽
Founder Bishakh Rout is an expert in nanotechnology with a strong background in developing cutting-edge solutions across pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and medical devices. Armed with a Chemical Engineering PhD from 黑料不打烊, Rout has experience in both R&D and technology commercialization, and is passionate about transforming scientific breakthroughs into tangible solutions that improve lives. He is joined by Co-Founder Agnieszka Skalecka, an innovation strategist with expertise in life sciences, project management, and business development. Rout will be taking on a business development role while Skalecka will focus on the clinical side and day-to-day operations.聽聽
Introducing OcuVista聽
OcuVista emerged from extensive research driven by a pressing industry demand. "I could see the need,鈥� Rout described. 鈥淧atients struggle to put drops in and most ends up wasted regardless.鈥� Towards the end of his PhD in November of 2022, Rout was actively engaged in a variety of research and industry challenges. "At a certain point, all data pointed to this solution,鈥� Rout remarked. And so, OcuVista was born with the aim to address efficiency and application simultaneously, allowing medication to be delivered over time, improving treatment and eliminating the inconvenience of application.聽
鈥淚鈥檝e seen many manufacturers try myriads of solutions,鈥� Rout explained. OcuVista is unique because it can be integrated into existing manufacturing processes, making it a practical and scalable innovation in drug delivery. His solution is focused on adding one step within the contact lens supply chain rather than re-hauling the entire system, which would be costly and would require long-winded regulatory approval.聽
OcuVista is targeting glaucoma and dry eye patients currently, but exploring expansion in the foreseeable future. 鈥淲e expect the cost savings to be tremendous,鈥� Rout marveled. 鈥淲e estimate no more than a 20% cost increase compared to existing contact lenses on the market, an exceptionally lower cost when compared to monthly eyedrop treatments.鈥澛�
Excitement is high as the team moves toward commercialization. 鈥淲e are so excited to be working with the MIF to bring our innovation to market,鈥� Rout expressed. 鈥淭hey have already connected us with the right advisors, and we are itching to start working with their advice.鈥澛犅�
In North America, their goal is to license their technology to big industry players, hoping to provide an alternative product alongside main eyedrop treatment methods. 鈥淲e see the most direct influence by partnering with existing companies where our innovation can filter through existing supply chain methods,鈥� Rout explains. In Asian markets, they are exploring the possibility to sell directly to consumers where their brand will be more readily accepted.聽
It's still early for OcuVista, but their passion is contagious. With the MIF, this year they have named their strategy 鈥淒e-Risking鈥�, where they will focus on the pathway of development, selecting specific customer segments and approaching key industry players for licensing. They will also continue to develop their prototype. 鈥淚t's going to be an exciting year ahead, and we鈥檙e looking forward to the work we can accomplish with the help of the MIF," Rout said.
