dexamethasone implant

Dexamethasone implant, primarily known by the brand name Ozurdex, is a biodegradable, sustained-release intravitreal delivery system containing 0.7 mg of the potent corticosteroid dexamethasone. Developed by Allergan (now part of AbbVie), the implant utilizes a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer matrix that slowly degrades to release the medication over a period of up to six months. It is FDA-approved for the treatment of macular edema following branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) or central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment, and diabetic macular edema (DME). Dexamethasone exerts its therapeutic effect by binding to the glucocorticoid receptor, which leads to the suppression of inflammatory cytokines, inhibition of edema-promoting factors like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and stabilization of the blood-retinal barrier.

Brand names

Ozurdex

Other names

dexamethasone implantdexamethasone intravitreal implantDEX implantdexamethasone 700 µg intravitreal implant