Purpose. Gentamicin eye drop solutions have a short precorneal residence time. The present study investigates the effect of gentamicin using a new long acting delivery Bioadhesive Ophthalmic Insert (BODI) in healthy dogs and rabbits and compares the results with a conventional regimen using an eye drop solution.

Methods. In vivo assays were performed on animals after deposition of one BODI and instillations of an eye drop solution. Tear samples were collected over 72 hours and 60 minutes, in the case of inserts and eye drop solution respectively. The gentamicin concentration profiles in tear fluid (determined by a fluorescent polarization immunoassay technique) was individually analyzed, in each animal, in relation with the minimum inhibitory concentration observed in vitro against some bacteria. A non classical pharmacokinetic approach was used for the analysis of the topically applied drug substance, involving two parameters: the efficacy area under the curve (AUCeff) and the efficacy time (teff).

Results. In the case of the eye drop solution, the AUCeff were higher in dogs (2.80 103 − 3.64 103 [µg ml−1 h]) than in rabbits (0.64 · 103 − 0.95 · 103 [µg ml−1h]); the teff had a similar behavior: 6-15 [h] in dogs and 2-6 [h] in rabbits. In the case of BODIs, the AUCeff and the teff were quite similar between dogs and rabbits: 190 103 − 205 103 [µg ml−1 h] and 70-76 [h], respectively. The AUCeff and the teffwere always much higher in the case of BODIs than for the eye drop solution both in dogs and rabbits.

Conclusions. This study shows that topical administration of gentamicin using BODIs can improve treatment due to the decreasing number of applications while ensuring an effective level of antibiotic in tears controlled by the device.