Long-lasting eye drops to control eye inflammation

DECON: A sustained topical delivery platform to treat ocular inflammation

['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · NIH-11337634

A new long-lasting eye drop designed to reduce inflammation for people with eye infections or other inflammatory eye conditions.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO (nih funded)
Locations1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11337634 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

I'm reading about a project to make an eye treatment that slowly releases anti-inflammatory medicine so you don't need drops many times a day. The team is creating a topical delivery platform that can hold drugs like corticosteroids and release them over an extended period to reduce swelling and pain after infections such as ocular herpes. They will test the formulations in the lab and work toward the steps needed for human testing at the university eye center. If this moves to patient studies, the goal is to make treatment easier to follow and safer for long-term control of inflammation.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with ocular surface inflammation, especially post-infectious or recurrent inflammatory eye conditions, would be the most likely candidates.

Not a fit: People with active uncontrolled viral replication in the eye (when topical steroids are typically avoided) or those without inflammatory eye disease may not benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, patients could use drops less often, get steadier control of eye inflammation, and face fewer side effects from frequent steroid use.

How similar studies have performed: Some sustained-release ocular treatments such as intraocular steroid implants have shown benefit, but a long-lasting topical platform for surface eye inflammation is relatively new and less tested.

Where this research is happening

Chicago, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.