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To address these limitations, we developed high-capacity micellar formulations by a modified thin-film hydration method utilizing two poly(2-oxazoline) (POx)-based ABA triblock copolymers (A-pBuOx-A and A-pPentOx-A). We achieved drug loading capacities of up to 33 wt.%. The DEX loaded nanoformulations were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction confirming the amorphous nature of DEX in lyophilized formulations. The micelles had a hydrodynamic diameter of Dh \u2248 18\u221224 nm. Both polymers were well tolerated and did not show any toxicity in primary human conjunctival fibroblasts and epithelial cells up to 50 g\/L. Furthermore, the A-pBuOx-A\/DEX formulation increased the apparent permeability of DEX approximately 12.2-fold across a primary human conjunctival epithelial barrier compared with Dexa EDO, without evidence of compromised barrier integrity or cell viability. These findings establish the POx polymer platform as a promising approach for enhancing epithelial delivery of poorly water-soluble ophthalmic drugs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.biomac.6c01227","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T11:02:02Z","timestamp":1790247722000},"page":"6619-6635","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["High-Capacity Dexamethasone-Loaded Poly(2-Oxazoline) Micelles for Ocular Surface Applications"],"prefix":"10.1021","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7754-2228","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Raoul","family":"Verma-Fuehring","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University Hospital Wu\u0308rzburg , , Josef-Schneider-Str. 11 , ,","place":["Wu\u0308rzburg, Germany, 97080"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martina","family":"Wiesler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Hospital Wu\u0308rzburg , , Josef-Schneider-Str. 11 , ,","place":["Wu\u0308rzburg, Germany, 97080"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Upeka","family":"Obeysekara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Hospital Wu\u0308rzburg , , Josef-Schneider-Str. 11 , ,","place":["Wu\u0308rzburg, Germany, 97080"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vanessa J","family":"Flegler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Hospital Wu\u0308rzburg , , Josef-Schneider-Str. 11 , ,","place":["Wu\u0308rzburg, Germany, 97080"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7962-4849","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Bettina","family":"Bo\u0308ttcher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Wu\u0308rzburg , , Haus D15 Josef-Schneider-Str. 2 , ,","place":["Wu\u0308rzburg, Germany, 97080"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Kampik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Augenzentrum im Brienner Hof , Brienner Str. 12 , ,","place":["Mu\u0308nchen, Germany, 80333"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jost","family":"Hillenkamp","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Hospital Wu\u0308rzburg , , Josef-Schneider-Str. 11 , ,","place":["Wu\u0308rzburg, Germany, 97080"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4248-8828","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Malik Salman","family":"Haider","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Hospital Wu\u0308rzburg , , Josef-Schneider-Str. 11 , ,","place":["Wu\u0308rzburg, Germany, 97080"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"316","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]]},"reference":[{"issue":"16","key":"2026101210520468300_cit1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1950.02910340017005","article-title":"Effects of Pituitary Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Therapy in Ophthalmologic Conditions","volume":"142","author":"Gordon","year":"1950","journal-title":"JAMA, J. 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