The Dexamethasone Drug Delivery System: Indications and Evidence

Introduction: The Ozurdex (R) (Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA, USA) dexamethasone drug delivery system (DDS) was recently developed as a biodegradable intravitreal implant to provide sustained delivery of 700 mu g of preservative-free dexamethasone to the retina and vitreous, and is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion, as well as for noninfectious posterior uveitis. This review summarizes the rationale behind the development of the dexamethasone DDS, evidence for its use in various clinical scenarios, and compares its efficacy to other available treatment options. Methods: Published data regarding the dexamethasone DDS as well as unpublished data that has been presented at national meetings were reviewed. Results: The dexamethasone DDS has evidence for efficacy in multiple clinical situations, including macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), macular edema associated with uveitis or Irvine-Gass syndrome, diabetic macular edema in vitrectomized eyes, persistent macular edema, noninfectious vitritis, and as adjunctive therapy for age-related macular degeneration. Safety concerns include cataract formation and intraocular pressure elevation that is most often temporary and amenable to medical management. Conclusions: The dexamethasone DDS is one of the most recent additions to the armamentarium against macular edema, and is intriguing for its potency, dose consistency, potential for extended duration of action, and favorable safety profile. Early evidence shows clinical utility for several conditions, the most well established being for macular edema associated with RVO. Future studies and, in particular, head-to-head comparisons with other treatment modalities will elucidate the precise role for the dexamethasone DDS in clinical practice.