Breakthroughs in DNA Aptamer Technology for Ophthalmic Drug Detection
- 建佑 李
- Jan 13
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 7
The incidence of ophthalmic diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and myopia-related complications continues to rise due to an aging population and increasing environmental stress. Currently, commonly used drugs for treating these conditions include Timolol Maleate and Atropine. Timolol Maleate, commonly known as "Qing Yan Lu" (青眼露) in Taiwan, is widely used for glaucoma due to its effectiveness in reducing intraocular pressure. However, existing drug concentration monitoring technologies lack the sensitivity and precision required to meet clinical needs, thus affecting treatment efficacy.
A recent study published in Sensors & Diagnostics indicates that a research team has successfully developed DNA aptamers specifically for Timolol Maleate and Atropine, offering a novel solution for the rapid quantitative detection of ophthalmic drug concentrations.
DNA aptamers are small molecules composed of short nucleic acid chains that can specifically bind to target molecules through their three-dimensional structure. Compared to traditional antibodies, DNA aptamers offer several significant advantages, including lower production costs, faster generation times, and high stability, making them particularly suitable for high-sensitivity detection and clinical diagnostics.
Experimental results show that these DNA aptamers exhibit excellent specificity and stability in binding to target drugs, allowing for accurate measurement of drug concentrations. More importantly, the stability of these aptamers remained unaffected in complex biological samples, demonstrating their immense application potential. This technological breakthrough provides new technical support for ophthalmic drug monitoring and treatment, overcoming the limitations of insufficient sensitivity in traditional methods. Furthermore, the application of DNA aptamers opens up more possibilities for the development of personalized medicine. As the technology continues to advance, these aptamers are expected to be widely applied in clinical monitoring and precision medicine, benefiting more patients in the future.
Reference：
Comments