Iran-Made Oxygen-Generating Microneedles Treat Chronic Wounds
A group of researchers, including Mohammad Mehdi Samandari, Ashkan Novin, Pejman Qelich, and Farnoush Saeedinejad developed biodegradable and mechanically strong methacrylic gelatin-based microneedle patches that can penetrate into the tissues and release oxygen after exposure to body interstitial fluid and wound exudates.
In this study, the oxygen release rate and biocompatibility of the developed microneedle patches were evaluated and optimized with different compositions.
Interestingly, in-vitro studies showed that the optimized compositions could release oxygen at therapeutic levels and significantly increase the viability of chronically hypoxic cells to match cells with normal concentrations of oxygen.
In-vivo tests also proved that the microneedle patches with optimized oxygen production did not harm or disrupt the healing process of a mouse with severe skin wounds. This therapeutic strategy could create new opportunities to eliminate hypoxia and heal chronic wounds.
In a relevant development in September, Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company, affiliated to Royan Research Institute, had also presented two skin products to the pharmacies across the country which are used to treat diabetic wounds and the 3rd degree burns.
“This knowledge-based company is active in production of multiple cell, tissue and gene therapy products. Recently, two skin products which are tissue cell sheets have entered the country's official pharmaceutical list,” Sara Pousti, a researcher of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“These products are used for people who have severe diabetes and their diabetic foot ulcers lead to amputation, or people who have hard jobs and have suffered third degree burns and deep bruises,” she added.
“When these cell sheets are transplanted on the burn area or diabetic foot wounds, they cause complete restoration of the lost tissue and prevent amputation,” Pousti noted, adding that the safety, sterility, identity, effectiveness, degree of purity and performance of the final product of these two products have been approved by experts through various quality control tests.
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