Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42144178›Full record

ArticleExperimental eye research2026

A low-cost, tunable suprachoroidal injection platform with real-time OCT guidance for gene therapy delivery.

Van Phuc Nguyen, Mi Zheng, Yeachan Lee, Sumin Park, Caden Dang, Khoi Tran, Zhuying Wei, Dongshan Yang, Yannis M Paulus

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Experimental eye research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Van Phuc NguyenDepartment of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America. Electronic address: vnguye69@jh.edu.
Mi ZhengDepartment of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Department of Ophthalmology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Yeachan LeeCenter for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.
Sumin ParkDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.
Caden DangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
Khoi TranDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.
Zhuying WeiCenter for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.
Dongshan YangCenter for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.
Yannis M PaulusDepartment of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America. Electronic address: ypaulus1@jh.edu.

Funding

Wilmer Core Grant for Vision ResearchP30EY001765 · NEI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI JEFFREY MUMM · 1985 to 2026
$22.1M
Multimodal Molecular Imaging of Choroidal NeovascularizationR01EY034325 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Yannis Mantas Paulus, XUEDING WANG · 2023 to 2026
$2.5M
Development of Nanoneedle Array for Painless and Long-Term Sustained Intraocular Drug DeliveryR01EY033000 · NEI · PURDUE UNIVERSITY · PI LEE, CHI HWAN, PAULUS, YANNIS MANTAS · 2021 to 2025
$1.9M
NEI NIH HHS P30 EY001765NEI NIH HHS R01 EY033000NEI NIH HHS R01 EY034325
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Gene therapy shows considerable promise for treating vision impairments, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Current delivery methods, such as subretinal, intravitreal, and conventional suprachoroidal injections, are effective but pose significant challenges, including inflammation and complications that hinder their clinical translation. In this study, we present an integrated suprachoroidal injection (SCI) platform that combines a low-cost, tunable needle design with real-time optical coherence tomography (OCT) guidance for precise and safe suprachoroidal delivery. The injection device is constructed from a standard insulin syringe fitted with an adjustable silicone sheath that enables rapid and continuous control of needle penetration depth, eliminating the need for complex nested-needle assembly used in prior approaches. Real-time spectral-domain OCT imaging was incorporated to dynamically monitor needle positioning and confirm suprachoroidal delivery. In vivo studies in rabbits demonstrated accurate delivery of indocyanine green (ICG) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors without ocular or systemic toxicity. Furthermore, AAV delivery exhibited dose-dependent transgene expression over 28 days, validating the platform for gene therapy applications. Compared with existing microneedle and catheter-based systems, this approach offers a simplified, scalable, and cost-effective alternative while maintaining precision through imaging guidance. This combined platform provides a practical solution for suprachoroidal drug delivery and facilitates broader adoption in both preclinical and translational research.

Indexed as

ChoroidGene Therapy AgentsGenetic TherapyGene Transfer TechniquesTomography, Optical CoherenceAnimalsDependovirusDisease Models, AnimalGenetic VectorsIndocyanine GreenInjections, IntraocularRabbitsIndocyanine GreenAAV vectorsAge-related macular degenerationCustomized suprachoroidal needleGene therapyRealtime OCT imagingSuprachoroidal injections

Identifiers

PMID42144178
PMCPMC13347388

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.