I-Corps: Novel Antioxidant Ocular Therapeutic

Award ID: 2227373

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the potential development of an eye drop that may protect the surface of the eye against oxidative stress from common sources such as UV exposure and contact lens wear. Oxidative stress can cause redness, irritation, and inflammation of the eye. Ongoing, these issues can potentially lead to significant damage to the eye as well as dysfunction including dry eye disease, corneal swelling, contact lens intolerance, and the need for eye surgeries. There are 45 million contact lens wearers, 16.4 million dry eye disease patients, and 9.4 million individuals with other ocular disorders at risk for these conditions that may benefit from the use of a product that blocks oxidative stress from becoming a problem for eye health and their vision. Commercially, this product could be offered on its own or as an additive to other products that cause oxidative stress as a side effect. This I-Corps project is based on the potential development of a unique formula of a complexed ubiquinol that can be highly dispersible in water and potentially stable. Complexed ubiquinol compounds have been shown to be able to penetrate through the entire thickness of the cornea and can be delivered directly into corneal endothelial cells more efficiently than the free form of ubiquinol. Surpassing the hurdle of delivery to the eye by using a water-based solution may allow for topical use of ubiquinol, rather than orally, potentially offering a wide range of ocular treatment strategies. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Jaime A. Camelio